A Life long Since Past
by Cayte R Black
Summary: Sometimes the past hurts and if you don't deal with it can sometimes take over as Harper finds out brooding over what he couldn't change can have some nasty sideeffects. Sorry to Dylan fans, he's a bit of a idiot at some points. Finished, plz R&R.
1. Chapter 1

A Life Long Since Past

Disclaimer: I do not in any way own the Andromeda characters; Kao and Commander Kalen however are of my own creation. 

Chapter 1

Day One

"Kao!" Harper cried as he woke to dark quarters on the Andromeda Ascendant. Staring into the dark areas of the room Harper wiped the cold sweat from his forehead as the nightmare that woke him faded from his eyes.

Throwing off the covers of his bed Harper ruffled his hair, and yawned as he headed for the shower.

Closing his eyes and letting the water flow over his face and neck Harper could clearly see the nightmare that haunted him every year burning on the back of his eyelids.

It had been seven years since-

"_HARPER!"_

Beka's harsh voice sounded through the communication system.

Shaking his head Harper, sending droplets of water against the shower walls, he turned of the shower and grabbing a towel he answered Beka's hails.

"Yeah boss?"

"_Where are you I thought you were going to start an hour ago?" _Beka said.

Harper sighed.

"_Are you alright?" _Beka asked.

"Hey boss, do you know what day it is?" Harper said annoyed, as he got dressed.

Beka was silent for a moment.

"_Yes I know what day it is,"_ Beka sighed. "_But we've been through this before, we still need you."_

Harper grumbled, grabbed his tool belt and left for the air lock.

Dylan stood on the command deck watching the station in front of him. It had been ten months since Beka had pulled him out of the singularity. The door opened and Rommie and Beka walked in.

"Well Harper's finally out bed," Beka commented leaning on the banister.

"Harper blood pressure is elevated and he seems very tense," Rommie stated, "Could be why he is late?"

"Oh no, It's a personal reason," Beka said off-handedly.

"You know what is wrong?" Dylan asked.

"Well," Beka hesitated, "I promised I wouldn't tell."

Dylan stared at her then glanced at Rommie. She looked as confused as he felt.

"Why can't you tell?" Dylan demanded.

"Because it's Harper's business," Beka said shortly.

"How do you know?"

"He does this every year," Beka said, "I just leave him too it."

"Then Trance and Rev should now about it," Dylan said trying to wheedle more information out of it.

"They know of it, but they don't know why he does it," Beka said slowly and she began to leave before Dylan could question her further.

"Then how do you know?" Dylan asked again.

"I was there," she said simply and left the command deck.

"Wow, I'm in love," Harper said, "No offence Rommie," he added to the Avatar.

"None taken," the A.I. replied.

Harper Rommie and Beka had boarded the station which just recently they had been having problems with the gravitation system and other systems.

"Come on, Harper," Beka said, "You're here to look at her, not gawk at her."

"It's all the same to me," Harper said with fiend cheerfulness.

Rommie noted that Harper seemed more enthusiastic then normal and his fiend happiness was very short lived.

The station was full of shouts and cat calls as the occupants traded, gambled and drank. Harper, Beka and Rommie navigated their way through the crowd, Rommie seeing Commander Kalen headed straight for her.

"Welcome to our station," Kalen said.

Harper completely ignored her staring off into another direction.

"Harper!" Beka said warningly.

"Yes?"

"The Gravitation System is malfunctioning," Kalen said.

Harper stared off into the crowd.

"I was under the impression that you were interested," Kalen said.

"Oh, I am inter-ter-terested," Harper said through a yawned. "I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

"This requires a lot of concentration," Kalen said.

"I'll be fine," Harper said.

Kalen hesitated.

"Follow me," she said and walked to the right, Rommie followed immediately allowing Beka to slow Harper down.

"Harper you have to stay awake," Beka began.

"I will, I always do," Harper said through his teeth.

"Yes, but it's different on the Andromeda," Beka argued, "There are only six of us."

"Are you telling me I'm incapable of working?" Harper asked.

"No, but Dylan's already asked questions it's only day one and I covered for you," Beka said.

"What do you mean you covered for me?" Harper questioned.

"Like I said, Dylan was asking questions-"

"You didn't tell him did you?" Harper asked stopping.

"I-"

"You promised," Harper reminded forcefully.

"I didn't tell him," Beka sighed.

Harper continued to walk.

"That's for you to do," Beka said.

Harper ignored her and Beka grabbed his shirt collar pulling him to face her.

"Hey, you may not want to sleep, eat or work but you at least have to do the latter," Beka said frustrated.

Harper pulled his shirt out of her grip his face stony and he didn't say anything.

"Hey," she said softly, "you know I don't want to get you in trouble."

"I know," Harper said quietly.

"Beka! Harper!"

The two turned to Rommie followed by Kalen making there way back to them.

"I was beginning to think that you had gone gambling or just got lost," Kalen said reaching them.

Harper gave a side-glance and caught Beka's eye and she took lead.

"Got lost," she said simply.

Kalen nodded by Rommie frowned slightly, there wasn't a lot of people there they could not have gotten lost so easily.

"On the to the engine room," Harper said breaking the tension.

"This way," Kalen said.

"I see your problem," Harper said coming out from under the console.

"Really?" Kalen said surprised, "our best engineers couldn't figure it out."

"You're out of power," Harper said leaning on the console.

Kalen's face turned annoyed.

"We know we turned it off so you wouldn't blow yourself up," she replied.

"Oh," Harper said and he disappeared under again.

"How could you take the power off?" Beka asked.

"Well, we didn't take it all off, of course, just the hotel decks, make it easier for Mr. Harper," Kalen sighed, "There aren't a lot of people visiting this system any more."

"I got it!" Harper said suddenly.

"What is it?" Kalen said.

Harper went into a full explanation out something that only Rommie seemed to understand.

"I'm afraid I don't understand-" Kalen said politely,

"Say it in English, Harper," Beka commented.

"You have a Bug," he said simply coming out.

"A Bug?" Kalen stated.

"Yeah, very old fashioned, used for messing things up or gathering information, and then sending it," Harper explained.

"Can you get rid of it?" Kalen asked worried.

"Sure, Rommie pass me that disk," Harper said and the A.I. threw him the object and Harper disappeared under the console.

"Who could have put something like that in there?" Kalen asked worried to Beka.

"I'm thinking more why than who," Harper said muffled under the console, obviously he had been holding something in his mouth because a moment later he continue in a clear voice. "I mean, why would someone put a bug in the gravitation system? They obviously don't know their st- OW!"

A shower of sparks with a small bang issued from under the console. Beka bent over with one hand on the station to look underneath,

"Are you okay, Harper?" she asked.

"Yeah," Harper murmur and put his cut finger in his mouth.

"Nasty little bug."

Beka heard him say, as she stood straight again.

Harper appeared claiming that the problem should be fixed.

"I should take a look at that Bug," Rommie said. "It might be able to tell us who and why they put it there."

"Alright but it could decide that it might be better off in you then in their gravitation system," Harper said accepting the cloth from Beka and wrapped his bleeding finger.

"I'll be careful," Rommie assured him, and he threw her the disk.

Harper returned to his quarters after a long and tiring day, hot, dirty and sweaty he made his way to the shower emptying the rest of the coffee into his cup.

Pulling off his shirt he stood one hand on the sink head down, his stomach wasn't settling and it had nothing to do with the fact that he hadn't eaten all day.

The steam filled up the bathroom and made his skin prickle with the heat he closed his eyes and felt a sudden chill, though the room was hot.

Looking into the mirror his breath caught in his throat as a young girl stood behind with torn clothes and gashes on her cheeks and arms.

Harper turned so fast he got a crick in his neck but ignored it, as there was nothing but steam and towels that stood in the place that the girl stood.

Convinced that his mind was playing a trick on him based on that he had no sleep and hadn't eaten Harper turned back to the mirror.

The coffee cup hit the sink with a clatter and the coffee went down the drain.

On the steamed up mirror was a child's drawing of a heart, only it seamed that the same child had also wiped half of it out.

Harper backed up and closed his eyes praying he was dreaming, he opened his eyes again and the heart was no longer there.

"Andromeda," he squeaked then cleared his throat.

"Andromeda?" he said much stronger.

"Yes?" the ship answered.

"Are there any intruders on the ship?" he asked knowing what the answer was but it was the only way to prove he wasn't seeing things.

"No body aboard was uninvited," Andromeda responded.

"I was afraid of that," Harper said too himself.

Harper sat, in his pyjamas, staring at the blue prints of the virus that they had taken from the station but he didn't read any of it, he was so tired and dim witted that the screen bore into his eyes with a blinding light.

Turning it off Harper closed his eyes and pressed on them, they stun and burned and watered but it felt good.

Harper sat in the darkness every now and then turning the lights on full blast so not to fall asleep then decided that the only way to distract himself was to fix or build something, so leaving he made his way to the engine room.

Harper fixed everything he could find in the engine room unfortunately he had done most of it just last week, but finding part of the catwalk that he was always planning to fix he began hammering away.

Harper was so immersed in what he was doing he lost track of time and was surprised to Dylan appear in his housecoat.

"Oh his boss," Harper said in mid swing.

"Harper what are you doing?" Dylan asked.

"I was just fixing the ah-" he faltered pointing at the catwalk while Dylan seemed less than impressed.

"It's three o'clock in the morning," Dylan said exasperated.

"Really?" Harper asked. Dylan frowned looking at his engineer who was still in his pyjamas.

"Yes," Dylan said annoyed, "but why aren't sleeping?"

"Can't sleep."

"So you decided to wake us up too, by fixing something in your pyjamas," Dylan questioned.

Harper looked down.

"Well," he stuttered, "I just didn't change."

"I noticed," Dylan said threateningly.

"I suppose you want me to stop," Harper guessed.

"That might be a good idea," Dylan said walking away.

Harper dropped his hammer and looked around at a loss of what to do.

"And Harper?"

Harper looked back to Dylan.

"Try to get some sleep," Dylan told him.

"Right then," Harper answered.

Abandoning the engine room Harper set off through the Andromeda stopping occasional to repair or add to her systems.

Harper continued to wander the hallways until he met Rev in the early hours of the morning.

"Hey Rev what's up?" Harper asked.

"The usually thing I'm doing at five thirty in the morning," Rev answered mysteriously.

"Ah," Harper said unable to think of anything else to say.

"The question is, Harper, what are you doing at this time?" Rev asked walking with him down the hallway.

"Oh just," Harper stopped he didn't know exactly why he was wandering the hallways at night.

"Can't sleep again," Rev offered.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Will you tell me what is wrong?" Rev asked.

"No offence, but-"

"If you won't tell me maybe you should tell Beka what is wrong," Rev suggested.

"She already knows," Harper murmured.

"Then Dylan, if Beka knows then it might help to tell someone else," Rev said.

"Maybe I will," Harper said taking the opportunity to get away from this conversation. "I'll do that now," and he walked away to the command deck.

"Thanks Rev!" Harper added.

"That's what I'm here for," Rev said more to himself than Harper.

Harper paced the command deck in his pyjamas annoying Tyr who was on duty.

"Just go and wake him up," Tyr suggested after an hour of arguing with Harper.

"I can't," Harper said, "I woke him already."

"When did you do that?" Tyr asked.

"Three in the morning," Harper stated.

"Oh, so that was you?" Tyr said.

"Yes that was me," Harper sneered.

"Why didn't you tell him them?" Tyr asked.

"I had nothing to tell him then," Harper said shortly.

"Why is this so important," Tyr asked, "so important that you can't tell me?"

"It's my business," Harper said.

"But you're telling Dylan," Tyr argued.

"You don't need to know," Harper snapped.

Tyr looked taken aback.

Suddenly the door opened and Dylan entered the room, he stared at Harper who was scruffier than when he had met him at three o'clock and Tyr who looked even cleaner and neat beside Harper.

"Pyjama Party?" Dylan asked faintly trying to understand.

Harper ignored him staring past his right shoulder into the corridor behind him but Tyr answered.

"He has something important to tell you," Tyr said.

Only Harper didn't say anything, he was staring past Dylan as though he wasn't there, Dylan turned to see what Harper was looking at but there was nothing there.

"Excuse me,' Harper said and he ran from the command deck and Dylan and Tyr exchanged confused glances.

Harper ran down the corridor, he had seen that twelve year old girl that had appeared in his mirror the night before, she had stood behind Dylan just in view and now she ran at the same speed that Harper did never letting him get a god look at her.

She turned a corner up ahead and as Harper reached that corner he ran into Rommie.

"Hey Rommie, did you see a girl in this hallway," Harper asked trying to look past her.

"No one else has been wandering these hallways except yourself," Rommie stated.

"No I mean just now," Harper said. "Did anyone pass you?"

"No," Rommie said.

Harper stopped looking and frowned.

"But-"

"You know, you haven't slept all night, you should go to bed before the briefing," Rommie suggested.

"I don't think I will," Harper said through his teeth.

"Why not?"

"I've told about everyone now, I can't sleep," Harper said irritated.

"You should at least try," Rommie said.

Harper growled annoyed.

"Or not," Rommie said surprised.

"Wise choice," He said coldly and he walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

Day Two

Harper had trouble listening to Dylan talk, his brain was so scattered that Dylan's droning just went through one ear and out the other.

Harper had returned to his quarters and tried to sleep, falling asleep was no problem it was once he was a sleep he began to dream and that is where the problem was, he keep returning to earth but he forced himself wake up before the nightmare began.

Beka had cornered him after he had given up on sleeping, on his way to the briefing she kept asked him whether or not he had told Dylan. Harper tried to shake her off but his stomach was constantly growling but he couldn't stand the smell of food without feeling nauseous, he could only manage to swallow water and coffee for this week and that never seemed to fill his stomach.

"Harper are you listening to me?" Dylan asked.

"Um?" Harper tried to pull his brain together.

"The virus is not there," Rommie stated.

"But where? It's not in the…" Harper trailed off losing his train of though thankfully Beka grasped where he was going and finished the sentence.

"Why isn't it in the gravitation system if it's not on the disk?" Beka asked quickly.

Beka thought for a split second that Dylan gave her a suspicious look but a moment later he had turned away to look at Rommie. Rommie thought for a moment, which allowed Harper, gave Beka a grateful side-glance.

"Could it be possible that it disappeared when the system exploded and cut your finger, Harper?" Rommie questioned.

"I suppose so, hey," Harper said getting his mind on track way too late, "Are you saying it's in me?" Harper asked exasperated.

"No I'm saying it self-destructed to prevent us knowing where it came from and why," Rommie said suspiciously.

"But bugs aren't sophisticated enough to blow themselves up," Harper said, "There really just one way communication devices.'

"Well we're going to need that virus check all the systems on the station then check your own Rommie," Dylan said, "Take Harper with you."

Harper nodded and turned to leave the room with Rommie.

Harper put down the controller that he was using and rubbed his eyes, he had been searching the station's systems for the past six hours.

"There is nothing here Rommie," Harper said.

"But I can't find anything in my systems," Rommie said confused.

"Maybe you need some fresh eyes," Harper said.

"Well yours aren't," Rommie said.

Harper dropped his hands and glared at her.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well you haven't slept in thirty-six hours, or eaten," Rommie said.

"Not true, I have fallen asleep, and I have drunk coffee," Harper contradicted.

"Coffee isn't food, and you're not getting to the state where you dream," Rommie said.

"I just wait-" Harper began, "how do you know I haven't been dreaming?"

"Well…" Rommie hesitated.

Harper raised his eyebrows.

"I've been monitoring your vitals,' Rommie said.

"Why are you doing that?' Harper asked coldly.

"I was worried about you," Rommie said concerned.

"I don't need you to worry about me," Harper snapped.

"You're not eating or sleeping, I don't want you to die slowly," Rommie said getting annoyed.

"So you want me to die quickly!"

"I don't want you to die at all," Rommie said shocked.

"Well maybe I do!"

Rommie watched Harper with a hurt and shocked expression while he worked.

"Are you going to help me or are you just going to stare," Harper growled.

"Do you really want to die?" Rommie asked softly.

Harper stopped.

"Rommie, I-" But he couldn't say anything to her shocked face.

Harper put his controller down and walked around the console her eyes following him.

"Look," Harper began taking Rommie's hands, as she looked horrified by what Harper had just said. "I didn't mean that-"

"Then why did you say it!" Rommie demanded.

"I was…" Harper stopped he didn't know exactly why he had said it.

"You don't know?" Rommie said quietly.

"I was angry," Harper settled on that for lack of a better word.

"So you said you want to die because you were angry at me?" Rommie said exasperated.

"No, not at you, I was angry," Harper said, "at myself," he added.

Rommie frowned.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have yelled."

Rommie watched him for a while then opened her mouth to say something else but the door opened and commander Kalen walked in.

Harper dropped Rommie's hands and grabbed a controller as she put her hands behind her back.

"I was coming to check on your progress," Kalen said.

"I believe we are finished," Rommie said and Harper forced a smile and nodded.

"I can't find anything in your systems," Harper said.

"Neither can I," Rommie said.

"Oh well, it must be in one of your systems," Kalen said.

"We'll check those next," Harper said quickly.

"Of, course," Kalen said smiling funny, "we wouldn't want this bug to get away!" she said overly cheerful.

Harper frowned at this strange behaviour.

"Shall we start now?" Rommie asked Harper, she apparently didn't notice the strange behaviour.

"In an hour," Harper said, "I want- I want to check out the station."

"I'll gladly give you a tour," Kalen said.

"No, no that's alright," Harper declined, "I'll just…wander."

"As you wish," Kalen said and she left.

Harper replaced the controller with a glance at Rommie, she still looked concerned.

"I'll be fine," Harper said and he left as well.

Harper stuck his hands in his jacket and wandered the gambling floor, his brain was fuzzy and his eyes hurt with every twitch and move. He had been scanning the crowd for anything suspicious.

Unfortunately with his tired eyes anything can be suspicious and he wouldn't know it. The calls and shouts were all blurred into one and it didn't help with a fight going on.

Commander Kalen's attitude was strange, but Harper couldn't put his finger on it, something was wrong, but his brain being so tired he couldn't think of anything.

Maybe he would just have to dig a little deeper.

"Hey, Harper!" Trance said happily.

Beka and Trance appeared behind him. Harper gave a small smile.

"You look tired," Beka said sympathetic.

"Like looking for a needle in a hay stack," Harper said, "a really, _really_ big haystack."

"Haystack?" Trance asked confused.

"Earth expression," Harper explained.

"So finding something really small in a really big pile of something?" Trance asked.

"Sort of, but everything looks the exact same," Harper said, "and the needle is the size of your pinkie finger."

"Wow," Trance said, "lot of work?"

"Six hours, only gone through it about twice," Harper said. "And even then we could have missed something."

"I would be tired to," Trance said.

"So do you know who started the fight?" Harper asked evaded more questions about his tiredness.

"Tyr," both Trance and Beka said at the same time.

"But I finished it too," Tyr said walking towards them.

"Well I don't think Dylan would want us fighting," Trance said.

Tyr raised his eyebrows.

If he had begun to say something Harper didn't hear it, the girl standing in the deserted hallway in front of them distracted him.

She stood in ragged clothes and was cut and burned in more places then one, he knew that girl, the same girl in his mirror the same one he was chasing that morning.

He knew that he wasn't just seeing things for he closed his eyes that they burned and watered but when he opened them again she was still standing there watching him with the most curious expression.

He could remember the last time he had seen her like it was yesterday, not the times in his mirror or on the Andromeda, no, it was on Earth seven years ago, seven years he had to live with the fact that she was dead and it was all his fault, he couldn't save her.

Kao, she was the liveliest girl Harper ever knew, full of life and happiness, and ironically she had been only seven when the Nietzscheans came, such a waste of life.

Just seeing her and thinking about what happened seemed to bring a lump in his throat, he had been so attached to her, he had loved her so much and the Nietzscheans had to take away the only comfort he had in his life.

It took him five years to track her down, only for her to die once he had saved her.

"Harper?" Trance asked poking him in the cheek.

Harper tore his eyes off Kao to look at the purple girl beside him.

"Yeah?"

Harper was painfully aware that there were tears in his eyes, but he wiped them away in a way that it would be tiredness tears.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"About what?" Harper questioned looking back at the girl; she had disappeared.

"Fighting," Trance said with large eyes.

"What?" Harper asked completed confused.

"Maybe you're losing your mind," Tyr suggested.

Anger boiled up in Harper, which was simple to do lately.

"Piss off," Harper snapped and he stalked away into the corridor where the girl had been moments before.

"_Harper get up here!_" Dylan called angrily.

Harper growled and left the Maru where he had taken refugee from everyone. He vaguely wondered whether he was going too reprimanded for yelling at Rommie and Tyr.

Harper entered the command deck with the most pissed off look that the others were surprised and didn't bother him.

"What do you want," Harper said saucily.

Dylan stared for a moment at Harper's behaviour then spoke.

"Tyr's station is malfunctioning, fix it," Dylan said handing a controller to Harper seeing if the same attitude regurgitated at Harper might quell his own.

Unfortunately that's not what happened.

"Fine!" Harper snapped grabbing the controller.

Harper walked over to Tyr's station, where both Tyr and Trance were standing; the only other two except Beka on command.

Harper began work and Tyr leaned on the banister facing him watching him.

"Do you have to hover?" Harper asked through his teeth.

Tyr just ignored him.

"Do you think you can fix it?" Trance asked on the other side of him.

He turned to her with a nicer expression on his face and in his voice.

"Oh course I can," Harper said.

"Then do so," Tyr said menacingly having teased Harper on many occasions before and not having him retaliate.

"This sort of thing takes time," Harper said controlling his anger.

Tyr leaned forward and Harper turned to face him. Saying quietly so that Trance couldn't hear he whispered;

"Maybe you are just losing your mind," Tyr said.

Harper's eyes flashed with anger.

"BITE ME!" Harper yelled and pushed Tyr with his right arm.

Harper pushed with surprising strength that caused Tyr to become so unbalanced that he actually fell over the banister.

Everyone one in command stared at Harper who punched the controller with unnecessary force and then thrust it into Trance's hands as she stared unbelievingly at him.

Stalking from the command Harper didn't look back. Tyr raised himself from the floor and wiped his bleeding lip with the back of his left hand looking murderous. Instinctively Tyr ran from the deck after Harper.

"Tyr wait!" Beka called but he didn't answer.

Harper walked down the corridor and heard Tyr behind him. Suddenly Tyr grabbed Harper's shoulder and pinned him against the wall his spikes at Harper's neck.

"You shouldn't have done that," Tyr threatened.

Harper didn't answer but narrowed his eyes and pushed Tyr's arm away. Harper took a step and Tyr called out.

"Coward."

Quick as a flash Harper swung back and his fist impacted on Tyr's right shoulder.

Tyr stumbled but before Harper could move again, Tyr grabbed his wrist and driving his spikes as far as they would go into Harper's arm and sliced knowing that he hit the bone somewhere.

Harper cried out in pain and blood spurted everywhere.

Tyr pushed Harper into the corner with a horrible crunch he hit the wall and slid down not moving when he got to the bottom. Blood spilled all over the ground.

"Get up!" Tyr ordered.

Harper didn't move.

Tyr's anger ebbed away and panic filled its place. He moved forward to see Harper but before he got anywhere Trance and Rev came around the corner.

"Harper!" Trance cried and ran to his side.

"What did you do?" Rev asked horrified.

"I-I," Tyr stuttered just as horrified.

Rev stood between Tyr and Harper as Trance saw to his wound.

But Harper knocked her hand away and stood up. Rev turned to look at him; with his head down and his bleeding arm still gushing covering him in his own blood Harper looked very creepy indeed.

"What was that for?" Rev asked, "She was only trying to help."

"I don't need her help," Harper said in a dead voice.

Rev looked shocked.

"But you need medical attention," Rev said surprised.

"I don't need anything you can offer me Magog!" Harper snapped and he whirled away holding his bleeding arm close and walked away leaving a hurt and confused Rev accompanied by Trance and Tyr.

Harper sat in his quarters his face screwed up in pain his eyes welling up with tears as he one by one thread stitches threw the gash in his forearm, he had found some wire in the engine room and he had sterilized it before he began but it still hurt like hell.

The part that he had already stitched was no longer gushing, more like oozing slightly and where the wire entered and exited was red around the edges.

In a way Harper thanked Tyr but in another he wanted to beat him to a pulp. It was reaching forty-eight hours since he had slept and now the pain in his arm was giving him a good excuse to stay awake.

Before he had wondered whether or not Dylan was going to reprimand him when he had mouthed off to Tyr, but now he was sure that he was going to be now for pushing Tyr over the banister.

But apart from a hail from Rommie asked him where he was and he telling her that he was going to sleep and continue tomorrow he hadn't heard from anyone.

He finally finished tying off the end off the wire and his arm throbbed painfully and feeling light headed he decided that maybe he should go to the medical bay to get something to replenish his blood.

Looking at the clock he saw that it was four in the morning, decided that Trance would not likely be in the bay he got up to leave.

He walked down the dark hallway and into the medical bay finding the drug he needed he injected himself and found that he head began to clear immediately.

"I thought you'd appear sooner or later," a voice said in the dark shadows of the room.

Harper jumped and looked around.

Trance appeared from the corner with a concerned face.

"What do you want?" Harper said coldly.

"To see if you'll alright," Trance said.

"I fixed it," Harper said holding up his arm and Trance's jaw dropped.

"You call that fixing!" Trance said horrified.

"It's stopped bleeding," Harper shrugged.

"But-" Trance said walking forward to look at it. "That can easily be infected and that must have hurt!" she exclaimed.

"That was the point," Harper said shortly dropping his arm.

"To be infected?" Trance asked.

"No," Harper said staring her in the eye, "to hurt."

She looked horrified.

"You know why I want it too hurt?" Harper asked in a menacing voice taking a step forward causing Trance to step back.

"No," she said a little frightened.

"So that I know," Harper continued taking another step.

Trance smiled weakly.

"That I am still," Harper said backing her into the wall and raising his voice.

Trance gulped.

"ALIVE!" Harper yelled at her and walked out of the bay; leaving Trance still against the wall horrified.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Day Three

Harper banged his head against the wall, he had avoided talking to Beka or Dylan but thankfully they seemed to avoiding him as well.

Rommie had been extremely quiet and he wondered whether or not the incident with Tyr had got to her, but her internal sensors were working so she must know.

Harper had taken too long sleeves and his sowing job wasn't too well; it throbbed painfully and itched uncomfortably. Harper resisted scratching it but every now and then the impulse took over, and one time it did it seared painfully.

Harper pulled his hand from his sleeve and cursed at himself for scratching; not looking and the fingers of his hand Harper punched the flexi then the console on the wall.

He banged his head again since they had been working for three hours and it very boring work.

"Harper can you please not bang your head," Rommie said and she turned to the look at him.

There was blood on the console from Harper's impulse scratching.

"Harper!" Rommie exclaimed and Harper turned with a confused expression.

Rommie walked over and turned Harper palms facing up, his left hand, the uninjured arm, was covered in blood.

Harper looked surprised at it.

"What is that from?" Rommie demanded.

Harper dropped the Flexi which was also had blood on it, the right hand sleeve of his shirt was damp and a small _drip_ could be heard.

Harper rolled up his right arm to look at what had happened.

Rommie gasped at the abysmal medical ability.

But what had caused the bleeding was two of the stitched and ripped clean through the skin and had opened that part of the cut again.

"Harper why did you go to Trance?" Rommie demanded.

"I didn't want to," Harper growled.

"Well, you're going now," Rommie said.

"No I'm not," Harper said.

"Yes," Rommie said, "you are!" and she gripped Harper's uninjured arm and dragged him off to the medical.

Rommie held fast to Harper's wrist all the way down.

Trance was working in the far corner when the two walked in. Trance turned at the entrance and one glance from Rommie holding on to Harper told her that the A.I. had figured out what had happened, but like Rev and Trance she also didn't know the details for neither Harper nor Tyr had spoken about the incident and Rev Bem and Trance had taken their lead.

"Yes," Trance said focusing on Rommie a little intimidated of Harper from what had happened the night before. "Is something wrong?"

"This is what's wrong," Rommie said angrily and grabbed Harper's other wrist and pulled it up wards to reveal the two stitches that had broke.

Trance flinched slightly as Harper did when his arm was brought up.

Trance gulped at walked forward glancing at Harper every few seconds. Harper showed no hostility and she looked at the cut.

"What did you do to burst them, I mean they were fine last night," Trance said not aware that Rommie didn't know that Trance knew about the encounter with Tyr.

"What!" Rommie said rounding on Trance.

Trance looked shocked.

"You knew about this!" she demanded.

"Well," Trance began and looked Harper for some help, but he just stared so Trance took it as an okay to tell Rommie. "Yes I know, I saw what happened."

Rommie raised her eyebrows. Trance didn't say anything and glanced at Harper who decided to take lead.

"Look Rommie," Harper said and she turned her head towards him as he took his arm from her grasp. "It was an accident," Harper explained, "Tyr didn't mean too."

"That doesn't mean you should have come to Trance-" Rommie stopped "Wait, you said Tyr did that?"

"Yes he did but it's nothing," Harper dismissed.

"He could have cut off your arm with those, I assume he used his arm spikes," Rommie almost yelled.

"Yes and he didn't cut off my arm, so stop it," Harper said.

"That still doesn't explain why you didn't come to Trance," Rommie said quieting down slightly.

"I didn't want to bother her," Harper made up quickly.

"It wouldn't have been a bother," Rommie argued, "That's her job,"

"I was busy," Trance said suddenly.

Both Rommie and Harper looked at her.

"I wasn't in medical, Harper couldn't have gone running all over the ship looking for me," Trance said "He did what was best."

"Sowing up his arm!" Rommie exclaimed.

"Its better then letting it bleed," Harper said storming from the room.

Harper stalked to the engine room trying to find more wire to fix the broken stitches.

Not bothering to leave for his quarters, Harper went through the excruciating pain just to sow the two broken stitches on the catwalk.

Once he had finished he turned to the console only to see a small light blinking innocently at him, frowning he punched a few buttons and it showed him that someone had an unauthorized access to the Andromeda.

Making a split decision Harper ran for the air lock that lead to the Maru. Inside Beka's ship Harper took the cable that connected him to the Andromeda's computer core. He had decided to connect here to prevent interruption.

Materializing inside Rommie's computer core Harper didn't have to wait long before the A.I. appeared.

"Harper!" she exclaimed surprised.

"What's the matter?" Harper asked.

"I suppose it couldn't be you snooping through my files," Andromeda said.

"I wouldn't need to snoop," Harper said.

"True," Andromeda evened.

"But is that what's wrong?" Harper asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw that you had an unauthorized presence," Harper explained, "someone trying to snoop?"

"I wasn't anywhere I told anyone," Andromeda frowned slightly.

"Well maybe the sneak got the better of you," Harper suggested.

Andromeda frowned at him.

"I'll help you look for him," Harper said disregarding his previous statement.

They began to walk through Andromeda's core.

"You know my human form is looking for you," Andromeda said conversationally.

"Yeah, I know, I've been avoided her, and Dylan and Beka as a matter of fact," Harper added lightly, "Just don't tell them I'm in the Maru."

Andromeda frowned slightly but didn't say anything.

Harper impulsively scratched his injured arm. He frowned, that wound was a flesh wound he should be feeling it in here. He stopped and undid his sleeve. Andromeda stopped as well.

"What are you doing Harper?" she asked.

Harper didn't answer he just stared at his arm; the wound was there. Andromeda looked shocked.

"What's that?" she asked.

"I've cut my arm," Harper began and he looked up, "but I shouldn't be feeling it in here."

Andromeda walked up to examine it.

"That's very deep," she said.

"Don't you start too," Harper said exasperated.

"Alright," she said.

"I just want to know why it's here," Harper said looking at it. He rubbed his hand along it and a dark substance that could only be a recreation of blood was on his fingertips.

"Is your Data Port working right?" Andromeda suggested.

"I think so," Harper replied.

"Maybe your arm's infected," Andromeda guessed.

"So it would show up here?" Harper shot down.

Andromeda shrugged her shoulders.

Harper looked down again when a flash of white caught his attention. Staring at a point where he could be sure a person had just been standing he spoke to Andromeda.

"Did you see that?" he said.

"I didn't detect anything," Andromeda stated.

"Well, I sure did," Harper said and he strode to the place he saw something.

There was no one there now but he had the strange feeling that someone was watching them.

"Harper," Andromeda said coming to him "are you sure you saw something here?"

"Yes," was his stubborn reply.

"I mean this wasn't the area that was being tampered with," Andromeda reasoned.

"Well, then maybe this is where they were tampering from," Harper suggested sifting through the files.

"Are you saying something inside of me is doing it?"

"Hey, look at this," Harper said frowning, "all these files have nothing to do with each other. Have they been copied?"

"None of them have been copied or deleted," Andromeda stated.

"This stuff, its just nothing really, maintenance logs, minor systems, personal logs," Harper said looking up, "nothing important."

"Perhaps there searching for something," Andromeda suggested.

"But what?" Harper asked.

He looked down; he was unconsciously rested on a console projection that he had never seen before.

"This isn't yours is it?" Harper asked.

"No, I don't know what it is," Andromeda answered.

Harper bent down to examine it.

"I think it must be coming from the station," Harper concluded.

"It could be coming from one of the many ships-"

But Andromeda never finished her sentence because an energy force hit her from behind knocking out the A.I. system.

"Andromeda!" Harper exclaimed and darted out from the console.

A hazy figure swam before him and the same energy forced him out of the system.

Harper yelled and opened his eyes only to find himself back on the catwalk in the engine.

Stunned he looked behind him and around trying to remember coming back to the engine room. The console still blinked in front of him but then it stopped and disappeared.

Harper frowned totally confused and put his hand up to the data port on his neck; it burned uncomfortably under his fingers.

Dylan stood with Beka on the command; Harper had been hiding since he had knocked Tyr over the banister, the station loomed in front of them and many ships surrounding them heading for the stations resources.

Neither Dylan nor Beka had tried to contact Harper and Tyr had reappeared but didn't say anything trying to hide his right spikes, unfortunately for Dylan and Beka he did it well.

"What has gotten into Harper?" Dylan asked trying to get Beka off guard and answer him.

"I told you I can't tell," Beka said not taking the bait. "But I can tell you he's never flipped out like that."

"Really?" Dylan asked surprised.

"Yeah, all the times before he just fixed everything on the Maru, but the Andromeda too prefect to fix everything," Beka said.

"Thank you," Andromeda said as her hologram appeared.

"Your welcome," Beka said smiling slightly.

"You have something Rommie?" Dylan asked.

"No, didn't you call me?" Andromeda asked.

"No, we didn't," Beka said slowly.

"Are you sure?" she said, "I was positive-"

"No, we didn't call you but now that you're here," Dylan glanced at Beka; she didn't catch on to what he was saying. "Where's Mr. Harper?"

"He is currently not on board," Andromeda stated.

Beka and Dylan exchanged confused looks.

Harper looked around the station platform, his instincts told him to come here although he never remember leaving Andromeda's computer core and waking on the Maru and leaving for the engine room, but he was sure that someone was tampering with the ship's systems, at least searching through them.

The area was as crowded as ever and possibly even more so since a large ship of holidaymakers had arrived and disembarked.

A small voice in his head, one that usually kept him out of danger, the one he ignored the most, spoke loud and clear in Kao's voice.

He stopped, it was unlike any other voice he had heard, almost as though it wasn't him that was speaking, but he followed it all the same to a small room that had the sign;

_Do Not Enter._

Strange as it was; if no one could enter this room then why was it there, Harper had never seen anyone even go near it.

Pushing the door open he suppressed a cough and disappeared into the darkness of the room.

On med deck Trance stared wide-eyed at the startling discovery she had made. She had taken a sample of Harper's blood from the cut in his arm and had screened it for infection.

Dancing in front of her was the most deadly virus she had ever seen, and some how it had found it's way into Harper's systems even though Rommie checked for such deadly viruses.

She darted from the room and headed for Command to inform Dylan and Beka.

Dylan stood with Beka consulting Rev Bem as Trance burst her way through the door looking hysterical. Tyr standing at the second in command post with Rommie looked up in surprise.

"Where's Harper!" Trance gasped reaching Dylan, Beka and Rev.

"We don't know," Dylan answered, "we can't locate him."

"You have to find him!" she cried.

"Why? What's the matter?" Beka asked.

"He's dying," Trance said leaving a shocked silence in the sentence's wake.

Harper's humming was occasionally broken with a hacking cough. He was inside the Do Not Enter room where he found a console in a coded language; he was steadily translating the text then trying to decode it at the same time.

He coughed again putting his hand to his mouth, there was a coolness on his palm as he removed it but the room being dark he assumed it was spit and rubbed it on his pants.

He was surprised, as no one had bothered him and he had been here for almost three hours, Neither Dylan, Beka or the security teams of the station seemed to know he was here.

The were stabbing pains in his stomach they usually appeared around the fourth day and Harper ignored in thinking that it was just his stomach growling so much that the acid had probably started eating the walls of his stomach, he wasn't bothered by this because it did it every year and he still wasn't dead yet.

He was light headed and began wondered if his trip into Andromeda's computer core was imagination or not.

Suddenly a projection of systems on very detailed information appeared in front of him and surprised he took a step back unaware that he had triggered the coded password and broken through the firewall.

Taking a closer look Harper could see that this wasn't just showing information the programs on the station, Harper could clearly pick out the information that he had seen on the Andromeda, the maintenance logs and other things.

This is where the initial instructions to search were issued.

Suddenly the door opened behind him and Harper whipped around blinded from the light that came through the door and a shadowy silhouette was standing facing him.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Dylan and Beka stood on the command staring at Trance.

"What do you mean?" Beka asked a little shocked.

"I mean he's been infected by a really, really bad virus," Trance explained.

"I'm receiving a hail from the station," Rommie interrupted, "it's Commander Kalen."

"Put it through," Dylan said.

They all turned to the screen as the Commander's face appeared and to their surprise Harper was standing just behind her looking guilty.

"_Captain Hunt_," Commander Kalen started.

"Why you do have my engineer?" Dylan asked bluntly.

"_That is why I am calling_," Kalen said.

"What's he done now?" Beka asked in a mocking voice.

"_It's what he hasn't done_," Kalen said.

Beka frowned and looked at Dylan.

"What hasn't he done?" Dylan asked.

"_Apologize!_" Kalen said angrily.

"Apologize?" Beka asked confused.

"_He has broken into a room that has specifically said DO NOT ENTER!_" Kalen almost yelled.

"And that's a problem?" Tyr asked.

"_Yes! He's stolen important information that is classified for the_-"

"_That's not true, I haven't stolen anything!_" Harper jumped in, voicing for the first time.

"Mr. Harper get up here," Dylan said.

"_But Captain I want to keep him here for question-_"

"I don't care what you want him for; I want him up here NOW!" Dylan said his turn to get angry.

The Harper on the screen gave a small guilty smile then left the view as Kalen tried to protest.

"_Captain-_"

"No buts, Hunt out," Dylan ended and Rommie cut the transmission.

Dylan paced for a moment, but when Beka spoke he could tell she was angrier then he was.

"Dylan," she said through her teeth, "let me handle this."

Dylan looked surprised.

"Alright," he agreed, "Just don't kill him," he added.

Beka turned to the door as Harper walked through. He walked straight to her and you could see he was eager to tell her something but he didn't get much out.

"Beka, I-"

She slapped him.

Harper stumbled and his hand flew to his right cheek.

"How dare you-," Beka said raising her hand again.

Dylan grabbed it feeling that one of her slaps was enough.

"What was that for?" Harper snapped.

"You know that we need their help, we did you go sneaking-" Beka growled.

"They did it first!" Harper interrupted.

"What do you mean?" Dylan asked.

"They were snooping around Andromeda's files, she and I found something but then there was surge of energy and I got kicked out," Harper explained feeling that it would be better to leave out the part when he could remember when he left the Maru for the engine room.

"I have no memory of that," Rommie said.

Harper stopped.

"But you must, I mean-," he stuttered.

"You have not entered my systems today," Rommie stated.

Harper frowned slightly.

"So explain why you were on the station?" Beka asked.

"I was trying to make a point," Harper spat.

"Well, you made one," Beka said, "One that I don't like."

"Like mother like daughter," Harper muttered.

Harper's head exploded with pain and his eyes erupted in little stars; he felt himself fall to the ground but couldn't see the way down.

Beka struggled attempting to box Harper's ears again but Dylan held her back.

Harper's eyes cleared to see Trance bending over him and Beka struggling in Dylan's grasp.

"How dare you-" Beka spluttered to angry to speak properly, "nothing!"

"That's enough!" Dylan yelled and Beka fell silent while Trance helped Harper to his feet.

Harper stood and pulled his shirt from Trance's grasp and his right shirtsleeve went up slightly only to reveal his savaged arm.

"What is that!" Beka exclaimed dropping her arms, which were still held back by Dylan, who ended up holding her up as she went limp.

"Oh, that?" Harper evaded, shacking his sleeve down over the cut again, "that's nothing…"

"Nothing!" Beka said exasperated, "There are bloody wire stitches!"

"I- I cut it in the engine room," Harper lied.

"The engine room?" Beka said disbelieving.

"Yeah, it- it was late and…"

"I didn't want to wake Trance," He concluded.

Both Beka and Dylan stared at him, unaware that everyone else in the room knew that he was lying. Harper stole a glance a Tyr who looked guilty.

"Why do I get the feeling that everyone here knows the truth except Beka and myself?" Dylan said finally letting Beka go and she seemed startled at the fact that she had to now support her own weight.

Everyone else glanced at each other.

Tyr stood up and began to speak but Harper cut him off.

"No," he stated firmly.

"But-" Tyr began.

"No," Harper repeated.

Dylan looked at Tyr then Harper hoping for a clue.

"Mr. Harper tell me what is going on," Dylan demanded getting irritated.

"I'm not telling you," Harper said coldly turning his back on him.

"Why not?" Dylan asked.

"Because I don't want to!" Harper snapped.

Everyone else just looked away as Dylan looked at them.

"Mr. Harper I need to know what is going on in my ship," Dylan demanded.

Harper ignored him completely.

"Fine, go to med deck with Trance," Dylan barked at him.

"Fuck off!" Harper snarled and walked past Dylan banging his shoulder as he went; Dylan forcefully grabbed his arm.

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" Dylan yelled.

Harper fidgeted in a bad mood, lying on his back on the med bed as Trance checked something he couldn't care less about. He sat up suddenly and swung his legs off the bed.

"Harper, what are you doing?" Trance exclaimed.

"I'm leaving!" Harper shouted.

"But your not well," Trance pleaded.

"I'm fine," Harper said.

"Then why do you have blood on your pants?" she asked.

Harper stopped and looked down at his pants, on them was a smear of red substance.

Trance watched him carefully and frowned slightly as he did something very strange.

Harper placed a hand to his mouth and then rubbed it on his pants.

"Harper?" Trance asked slowly.

"I don't know," Harper lied, "maybe my arm?"

Although both Trance and Harper knew that it wasn't his arm that caused the blood but Trance took the opportunity anyway.

"Can I inject nanobots to fix the cut-" Trance began.

"No!" Harper snapped.

Trance looked shocked.

"You're trying to heal me for something I don't have!"

Harper didn't know why he was saying this only that the little voice that he usually ignored was now stronger than ever and told him not to take the nanobots and to go back to the station, back to that room.

"Then why are you hallucinating?" Trance cooed.

Harper pulled himself back to reality.

"I'm not," he stated.

"Then why doesn't Rommie remember your encounter?"

"The energy," Harper stated a thought dawning on him.

"The what?"

"When I was in the core, both Andromeda and I were hit by some sort of energy weapon," Harper explained, "That could have erased her memory and that's probably what kicked me out!"

"You're not making any sense," Trance said worried, "Rommie would have detected a surge whether or not the A.I. system was knocked out."

Harper stopped and thought it over, that was true, but his version made sense also.

The only thing left is that Trance was telling the truth and he was infected by something.

No. That wasn't it, maybe the crew was crazy and he was the only one sane; that works.

Harper turned and left the med deck at such a speed that Trance couldn't catch up to him.

Dylan sat with his head in his hands, it was four in the morning and although he was extremely tired his mind wouldn't let him rest.

"_Dylan?_" Trance's voice sounded through the comm. link.

"Yes Trance," Dylan answered.

"_Did I wake you?_" she asked tentatively.

"No," Dylan said "Not at all."

"_Well…_" she paused.

"Spit it out Trance," Dylan said.

"_Harper's not here!_" she said so quickly that Dylan hardly heard her.

"What?" Dylan exclaimed.

"_Harper left med deck,_" Trance said a little slower.

"And you didn't stop him because…?"

"_He was a nasty mood._"

"Really," Dylan said sarcastically, "do you know where he went?"

"_No,_" Trance stated.

"Alright," Dylan said getting up.

"_Dylan?_"

"Yes Trance?"

"_Are you mad at me?_"

"No, it's not your fault."

Harper rubbed his eyes and wiped the sweat from his face. He had been working for three hours now and his stomach squirmed uncomfortably.

Harper looked through the files and frowned something was there somebody deliberately put that virus in the station's computer but not the gravitation system. Harper frowned and an idea popped into his head, this virus was alive wherever it was now.

Then another document came up showing a face that Harper knew all too well she was the one who put the virus in and she wasn't who she said she was.

He coughed suddenly and gagged bending over; frightened and took deep breaths to slow whatever was coming up from coming up. He stood bent over for a moment as the squirming in his stomach over whelmed him.

Losing control of his stomach muscles Harper threw up and with a sickening sound the contents of his stomach hit the floor.

Dizzy he frowned that as his eyes were blurry and cleared that the contents of his stomach were not food as one would image but blood and tissue that surely shouldn't be out of him.

"I told you not to come here!"

Harper heard the sharp voice before the energy from the weapon hit him in the back and he fell sideways instantly unconscious.

Dylan stood on command with Beka and Rommie asking them whether or not they had manage to find Harper; with both at a no Dylan was lost.

"I don't know where he could have gone," Beka said.

"I haven't detected his life signs anywhere," Rommie stated.

"Which can mean he's blinded your sensors from his life signs or he's already dead," Dylan said, "I'd prefer the former."

Rommie stopped moving for a moment and Dylan frowned.

"We're getting an incoming message from the station," Rommie said.

"Put it through," Dylan said.

The face of Commander Kalen appeared in the view screen, she looked extremely worried.

"Commander?" Dylan asked, "To what do I owe pleasure?"

"_It's your engineer again._"

Dylan turned around not to show his frustration he pulled at his face with his hands then turned back to the view screen.

"What has he done now?"

"_It's what happened to him._"

"What?"

"_I'm afraid he was found in the room again, although this is slightly more serious then before,_" Kalen stated.

Dylan sighed frustrated.

"Send him up here," Dylan ordered.

"_I can't,_" Kalen answered.

"Why not?" Dylan argued.

"_He's been shot._"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Day Four

Dylan paced outside medical, he, Beka and Rev were waiting for Harper to awaken. Tyr didn't make himself shown for some reason that Dylan didn't know but had a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with Harper's arm but Dylan was focusing on trying to find a way to keep Harper alive although he couldn't really do much more than hope.

Trance immerged from medical and Dylan turned to face her.

"How is he?" Beka asked getting there before Dylan.

"Not good," Trance admitted, "I managed to inject nanobots which are healing his arm and fighting the virus but he's lapsed into a coma, and I don't know why."

"Is there anything we can do?" Rev asked.

Trance shrugged.

"Pray."

000

There was no sound.

The world was gone.

He was cold, and wet standing on weak muscles.

Harper opened his eyes, they adjusted to the nothingness that was there, the darkness pressed on his eyes as his pupils strained to see something …anything.

"Hello?" he called.

It echoed over invisible walls.

He looked around trying seeing a wall or a door or any fragment of light that could tell him that he had his eyes open.

Suddenly blinding light went on and Harper covered his eyes to protect them as light flooded through his eyes making his mind hurt.

Slowly he removed his arms and looked around.

He was in a five-sided room, the corners were so dark that he was almost sure he could walk to them and go on forever; each wall had what looked like a window and a door that stood beside it.

Frowning he walked up to the closest one. The window keep showing snippets of what looked like a film, like they use to do for advertising show a really interesting piece of the film, one that didn't make much sense, then play it over and over again until you were so annoyed and confused that you just had to buy the ticket for the movie so you could understand that scene.

His heart caught in his throat and he felt like some one was squeezing the life out of it slowly.

He went and lifted his hand to touch the window; the picture was playing just beyond it a place where he couldn't reach; a place that he could never get to.

The snippet showed a small girl about the age of seven she was standing beside him when he was fifteen they were at a party, the only party that the Irish on earth ever had, every St. Pat's day they would save up whatever they could and then throw a party all night long praying that the Dragans wouldn't crash it.

It wasn't a film clip it was a memory; his memory.

There were footsteps behind him and he turned.

"Hello Seamus."

Harper frowned and looked at the memory in the window then back to the young girl he was looking at.

She was that same girl, the one that had been following him, the one from earth, the one who died.

"Who, What are you?" Harper asked breathless.

"I am Kao," she answered.

"No your not," Harper said, "Kao died, she's doesn't exist anymore."

"Because one dies doesn't mean one doesn't exist." Kao said.

"No," Harper said and he looked back at the window.

"But your right for one thing," Kao said.

"And what would that be?" Harper asked.

"I'm only a recreation of Kao," she answered.

"How is that possible?" Harper asked.

Kao just smiled at him and said.

"That doesn't matter right now; nothing does; who I am; where you are; what time you're in; doesn't matter. What only matters is this," Kao said lifting her arm to the window memory.

"What is it?" Harper asked.

"Who are you?" Kao responded.

Harper frowned.

"My question first," Harper said.

"If you can not answer your question you can not answer mine," Kao replied.

Harper frowned and looked at the window, he wasn't sure what she was talking about but he trusted her for some reason.

"What do you want me to do?" Harper asked.

"It's not what I want you to do it's what you want you to do," Kao spoke in a riddle again.

"Enough with the riddles," Harper said.

"Go through the door Seamus," Kao said flatly.

As though someone else was guiding him Harper took the doorknob turned and pulled it open.

000

Dylan walked on to the station after Harper had fallen into a coma Dylan insisted no matter whether Harper was awake or not; they had find the person who shot him and where the virus came from.

"Kalen says that she just entered the room and found Harper shot," Beka said coming up.

"She tells us that there is no security cameras in there," Tyr said disbelieving.

"And you think otherwise," Dylan prompted.

"I do," Tyr said, "If there was no cameras how did she know he was in there the first time."

"She walked in on him," Dylan dismissed.

"Twice in a row?" Tyr said placing that seed of doubt so expertly.

"Too strange for a coincidence," Beka agreed.

"Too the room?" Dylan suggested.

"I'll go to Harper's quarters, see if anything there shows anything," Beka said.

"Alright," Dylan replied. "Tell us if you find, well, anything."

Beka nodded and left and Dylan and Tyr went the other way.

000

Trance stood over Harper's bed scanning his life signs.

"Come on Harper you just have to wake up," she pleaded quietly.

Harper remained still and silent; his eyes closed and his breathing shallow.

000

Cheers and songs broke out as the Irish people celebrated St. Pat's day. There was dancing and singing and drinking, everything to deceive that life was horrible on Earth.

But Harper ignored all of these he walked among the celebrities searching for someone he knew he would find here.

There in the distance on the dance part of the ground he saw him.

Kao appeared beside him.

"Who are you looking for?" she asked.

"Me," Harper said.

She smiled.

"And did you find yourself?" she asked.

"Yes," Harper replied.

"I don't think you did," she said frowning slightly. "But you will."

Harper frowned and she disappeared.

He took a moment then he wove his way through the crowd. He headed towards the younger him. His younger self was heading for Kao, after all, March 17th wasn't just St. Pat's day; it was her birthday.

He came in hearing range of the two of them and he stopped to watch.

_Seamus walked up to Kao it was her seventh birthday and he had gotten her something he knew she would love._

_Like always he pretended that he didn't know her just too get her excited. _

"_I have a something for a Miss Kao," he whispered. _

_She smiled and laughed which would bring a smile to anyone's face._

"_Well I know a Kao, but she's not available at the moment," Kao answered._

"_Would you take it?" Seamus asked. _

_Kao turned to face him._

"_Of course I can!" she announced._

"_Here Kao," Seamus said smiling and handed her a small wrapped present._

"_Wow! What is it?" she exclaimed, he had made a goal of getting her a present ever year but it had never been anything so valuable and expensive._

"_You have to open it to find out," Seamus replied._

_Kao carefully took of the wrapping paper and Seamus smiled as her eyes grew large and her mouth opened in awe._

"_Where did you get it?" she asked._

"_Just never you mind that," Seamus said._

"_But, it must have cost you a lot to get it and you must have got into trouble," Kao began._

"_Like I said, never mind that, you have to promise to keep good care of it," Seamus said._

"_Oh I will!" Kao said with delight, "Thank you Seamus!" _

"_You're welcome," Seamus said. _

_Kao gave him another smile and opened the book in her hands; although Seamus didn't need to read the title for he knew what it was he could see the professional handwriting spelling out the title;_

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

000

Dylan and Tyr looked around the small room, there was absolutely nothing it that would interest Harper so much to come back twice in the same day. Dylan looked down at the pile of blood and tissue and had a sneaking suspicion that it was from Harper.

"There was a console here," Tyr said suddenly. Dylan turned to look at him.

"What do you mean," Dylan asked.

Tyr was bending down looking at the floor.

"A console has been here," Tyr repeated. "For a room that said no entry there has certainly been a lot of people going in and out of this room."

Dylan bent down beside him to study the ground.

"You see how much duller this metal is to that?" Tyr said pointing at a line on the ground, "It's not to blunt so it can't be a flaw and it hasn't been repaired recently no burn marks, even Harper couldn't fix it this cleanly."

"Considering he likes to fix floors with a hammer," Dylan said off-handedly.

Dylan turned to look at Beka as he forgot that she was searching Harper's bedroom.

"Do you think Harper could have hacked into the console and found something important?" Tyr suggested.

"Well, if he did it was worth trying to kill him and removing the console entirely," Dylan suggested.

Dylan frowned and looked at Tyr and they seemed to be thinking the same thought.

"That would have taken time," Dylan began.

"And someone would have seen something like that going on," Tyr ended.

Dylan got up and with Tyr right behind him headed for the station's gambling floor.

000

Beka glanced around Harper's quarters; she was looking for something that might lead to how Harper got himself in trouble.

It was exactly like she though it would be like. The room was a total mess, Sparky cola cans and coffee cups littered the floor with a lot of his laundry strewn over the bed desk and dresser leading down to the floor.

Beka walked carefully between the objects and gadgets flung absent- mindedly across the room.

There was only one thing that seemed out of place for Beka and that was the bedside table. It's not that Harper didn't read it's that Beka was sure he didn't read old tattered books.

Beka carefully picked up the book and read the title.

_Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll_

Beka frowned she was sure that Harper never read fairly tales especially one like this, she had known Harper for seven years and knew that he went through this every year and why but she had never ever seen this book before. Beka saw a bookmark in the creamy pages of the book. She flipped open the book and it creaked and was torn and burned in many places, the writing was that of a hand; not printed and Beka could see that it had been read many times, no doubt also dropped in mud, bled on and flung through the air on more than one occasion.

Beka found the place where Harper was reading and saw that the bookmark was stiff folded paper. Keeping his spot Beka remove the bookmark and flipped in open.

She felt a twang in her heart as smiling out at her of the picture was a twelve-year-old Harper with his mother and father and the girl that Beka recognized only by her smile.

Beka had only met Kao once and then she had been beaten and tortured by the Drago-Kavoz she was barely the same girl in this picture, she had to be no more than five, the only thing that was the some about her was the smile she gave Harper who had her arm around her.

"Beka did you find anything?" Trance's voice came from behind her.

Beka jumped and stuffed the picture back into the page and hid the book behind her back as she turned to face Trance.

"Did you find anything important?" Trance asked.

"No," Beka replied, "nothing of importance."

"Alright," Trance said with a knowing expression.

"Any change in Harper's condition?" Beka asked.

Trance shook her head.

"Can I go see to him?" Beka asked.

"Of course," Trance answered.

Beka walked to the door and managed to hide the book as she passed Trance and started to walk to medical when Trance called to her.

"Beka?"

"Yes Trance?" Beka answered stopping.

"I'm not sure how much longer I can keep him alive," Trance said quietly, "He is very weak."

Beka nodded in acknowledgement not daring to trust her voice.

000

Harper watched the memory play out; he remembered that completely but anything after that was vague and hazy. Abruptly the world started to go black and nothing could be seen.

Kao appeared again.

"What happened?" Harper asked.

"You tell me," Kao said, "This is your memory."

"Well, I had a lot to drink, I guess I passed out," Harper said.

Kao smiled.

"Then that's what happened," she replied.

Suddenly a bright light blinded Harper, it was morning in the memory, and he had forgotten how long he had been asleep.

_Seamus opened his eyes, the sun burned into his eyes and his head hurt a lot._

_It was only after a few minutes that he remembered that he was supposed to be watching over Kao._

_He jumped up despite the hangover and was confused and surprised at the scene in front of him._

_Fires burned and the tables were wrecked, the ground was pocketed with gun fire and dead bodies lay here and there. Realizing that after all the years the Drago-Kavoz pride chose to crash the St. Pat's party this year, and all the years this one the only one he had passed out from drinking to much. _

_Seamus ran through the mess searching for Kao, his mother and father didn't come to this party and told Seamus to watch over Kao more than he usually did._

"_KAO!" he yelled._

_There was no answer._

"_KAO!" he called again._

_Something on the ground caught his attention._

_Walking carefully grief, panic and anger caught him all at once._

_He bent down and picked up the book, which lay open on the ground. There was blood on it and Seamus knew that she would have never abandoned it._

"_Seamus!" _

_Someone called his name but he didn't look up._

"_Seamus," one of his twin cousins came up._

"_We thought they might have killed you," the other said joining them._

"_They took her," Seamus said angrily._

_The twins glanced at each other knowing that Seamus meant Kao._

"_Why would they do that?"_

"_I don't, but I'm going to get her back," Seamus said._

"_Seamus, I don't think that's possible-"_

"_I'll find a way."_

Harper turned to Kao who had shown herself again.

"Why are you showing me this?" he asked and she smiled.

"To answer your very first question," she responded.

"Which was?" Harper questioned.

Kao smiled.

"You ask too many questions," she said. "I can only answer so many, the rest you have to yourself."

The memory faltered and Harper heard another voice.

"You remember that time when I fell into that pit of black blood maggots? I don't think I could have survived without you…"

"Beka?" he said.

Harper frowned confused and gave Kao a questioning look.

"You're becoming conscious," she said. "I'll be here when you get back."

Everything faded from view and Harper was engulfed in blackness yet again.

000

Beka entered medical too see Harper lying peacefully. She pulled up a chair beside his bed and placed the Alice in Wonderland book on the bedside table.

"I don't suppose it'll help to talk to you, huh?" Beka said to Harper though it might have been better to talk to the bulkhead.

Harper remained still and silent.

"Well, it'll sure make me feel better," Beka said.

Harper gave no answer.

"Alright," Beka said looking around the room for something to say, the machines that were showing his vitals proved that he was losing his battle.

"You gotta fight this thing," Beka said suddenly, "if I've told you once I've a hundred times, we need you to help us, you might be a bit of a jerk but you're a brilliant jerk."

Still no answer.

"You have to have saved my ass as much as I've saved yours."

Beka hung her head she didn't know why she was talking to him it was pretty pointless; he was unconscious.

"You remember that time when I fell into that pit of black blood maggots; I don't think I could have survived without you-" she began.

"Beka."

She looked up there was no one else in medical and that was Harper's voice.

"Harper?" she asked cautiously.

He didn't say anything.

"Harper, you gotta wake up," she said getting up and taking his hand. "Seamus can you hear me."

She bit her lip.

000

Harper heard Beka calling his name and struggled to open his eyes. Finally he gathered his strength and opened his eyes to see Beka give him a watery smile.

"Hey," she said.

"Hi," Harper croaked.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Cold," Harper responded.

Beka turned for a moment without letting go of his hand and returned with a blanket that she threw over him.

"Better?" she asked.

He nodded.

"You going to fight this?" she questioned.

He smiled.

"I'll try," he said.

"I have something for you," Beka said and she took the book off the bedside table and gave it to him.

He took it carefully and Beka could see how much this book meant to him.

"Thanks," he said softly; before falling unconscious again.

000

Beka didn't say anything after Harper fell unconscious again but held his hand and just sat there.

Not long had she been sitting here did Trance come running in.

She looked up at her.

"They told me there was a change in his vitals," Trance said nodding slightly at the machines.

"He woke up," Beka said simply.

"And?" Trance prompted.

"He fell back into a coma," Beka said.

Trance walked around her to get to her machines and frowned slightly at the book in his hands.

"Did you give him that book?" Trance asked.

Beka looked at it for a moment.

"Yes," she said and got up and left, leaving Trance alone with the unconscious Harper.

0000


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Day five

Dylan and Tyr walked around the station, so far they hadn't found any one who had seen anything; they were all 'in the bathroom'.

Commander Kalen had failed to respond to Dylan's request for security tapes.

"Do you think it a little strange that Kalen found Harper both times in that room?" Tyr asked after Dylan mentioned her lack of contact.

Dylan stopped and faced Tyr but looked around the station.

"Just because Harper wasn't allowed in, doesn't mean Kalen's not," Dylan pointed out.

"If that's true then why does no one seem to know it exists?" Tyr asked.

Dylan glanced at the door; Tyr was right; there was no one going near or even standing guard by it.

"And why didn't she call security when she found him? Why call us? Surly she knew that you would ask to punish him yourself," Tyr asked.

"It's almost like she didn't want security to know," Dylan said. "Speaking of things not wanting to be known..."

Tyr looked at Dylan feeling he was going to ask what happened to Harper's arm, so Tyr got there first.

"It was an accident," Tyr said trying to hide the hint of guilt he felt.

"So it actually happened," Dylan asked.

"I provoked him, he instinctively reacted," Tyr said looking away.

"And sliced his own arm?" Dylan said.

"I also instinctively reacted," Tyr admitted.

"So you decided that it would be alright to cut his arm open with a insanely deep cut that grazed the bone and could have cut his arm off entirely," Dylan said reasonably.

Tyr didn't answer for a moment.

"If I could go back and fix it I would but I can't, and-" Tyr began speaking before Dylan. "He never asked for an apology and never blamed me for anything, so why should you?"

Dylan sighed.

"How could you say that with him like that…?" Dylan said getting exasperated. "I mean…" he trailed off showing how worried his was without wanting too.

"He may be an annoying little man, but he survived on earth for twenty and had managed to survive since then, he can make it through this week," Tyr said.

Dylan looked at him and gave a small smile when Trance interrupted their conversation.

"_Dylan?_" Trance called through the comm. Link.

"Yes Trance?" Dylan answered.

"_I have something to show you,_" she replied.

"We'll be right there," Dylan ended and lead the way to the air lock.

000

Dylan entered med deck with Tyr to see Rommie already there.

"What is it?" Dylan asked.

"When did commander Kalen tell us Harper had been shot?" Trance questioned looking up.

"Two hours ago, why?" Dylan answered.

"The entrance wound is at least five hours old," Trance said.

"Kalen could have found him three hours after the fact," Dylan suggested.

"Rommie tell him what you found," Trance said.

"When I was looking through the stations systems again for that virus, I stumbled across the security logs that showed how many times the door opened. It logged when Harper entered the first time, three hours later, Kalen found him and called us. Three hours later, Harper entered again. One hour after that Kalen went in," Rommie stated.

"What does that prove?" Tyr asked.

"That was five hours ago," Trance said.

Dylan raised his eyebrows, "exactly when Harper was shot."

"Yes, and in the three hours before she contacted us the door opened three more times," Rommie said.

"Two people in. Three out. One back in," Trance said.

Dylan looked at Trance.

"That means Kalen saw the shooter and did nothing about it or-" began Trance.

"Or she is the shooter and she doesn't care," Dylan ended.

Trance gave him a small smile.

"I'll try and get her on the communiqué," Rommie said and she left them room. Tyr gave Dylan a long glance then followed her out.

Trance just smiled again then turned her back.

Dylan looked through the glass doors into the other room where Harper occupied the med bed, he, although being unconscious, held fast to a small tattered book that it seemed to Dylan that Harper thought if he were to let go of that book he might as well let go of everything.

000

Trance watched struggling with falling hopes, despite her best efforts, no matter how slowly, his vitals were still falling.

Trance sighed something wasn't quite right with this illness, although it was deadly the way it was attacking Harper's whatever he had left immune system it was as though it was waiting for him to finish something first before it killed him.

Trance watched his face his eyes were moving beneath his eyelids as though if he were in the dream cycle of sleep. The purple girl started to think and a strange thought occurred to her.

"Trance."

Came a low voice behind her and the thought was driven from her head.

She turned to see Rev Bem standing in the doorway with a hand on the wall.

"Yes?" she asked with fiend happiness.

"Would you mind if I talked to Harper?" he questioned.

"Of course not," Trance said placing a flexi down and pushing a button on one of her machines. "I'll just be… somewhere, if you need me."

Rev Bem nodded and Trance walked past him.

Rev sat down beside Harper as he lay sleep fighting this strange unknown virus that was tearing his insides apart. Rev looked fondly at the sleeping figure before him and a slight pang of pity erupted in his stomach. Harper was so young and strong; he had survived almost 20 years on earth and since then and know he was losing a battle which he is totally outmatched. Rev hung on to the thought for a moment what had happened when Beka had first recruited him, the thing Harper would never repeat and then Beka would never say for following his lead.

Rev looked the book that was clamped tightly in Harper hands, he didn't know what that book meant to Harper but he could see it meant very much to him at least. Rev sighed he didn't know what to do for him other than pray and he had done that since Harper first fell unconscious and if there was any Divine Intervention Rev hadn't seen it yet.

"Harper," Rev said in his low growl.

Harper's eyes fluttered and Rev looked a little amazed.

Rev looked at the machines Trances had set up monitoring his life signs; there were no different then they were when he walked in.

Rev looked back disappointed then frowned confusing.

He whipped around to look again, the signs were not moving, they weren't going up, but they weren't going down either, which they had been steadily doing.

Suddenly Harper's voice echoed through the med. deck.

"NO! I WON'T! I CAN'T!"

Rev jumped as Harper yelled and he went quickly to his side.

"Harper, calm down," he talked loudly to be heard over his yelling.

I WON'T DO IT! LEAVE ME ALONE! I ALREADY LOST HER AND I CAN'T LOSE YOU TOO! THE MAGOG AND NIETZCHIANS CAN'T TAKE AWAY MY FAMILY!"

Tears started to pour from Harper's eyes as he thrashed around on the table screaming.

"Harper, please!" Rev pleaded holding down his arms so not too hurt himself, Harper squeezed the book in his right hand and continued to yell.

Rev sighed, "Andromeda, find Trance and get her up here."

Harper stopped yelling just as suddenly as he had started, but the tears still came and he started to shake uncontrollably even with the thick blanket.

000

_Harper sat huddled in the corner of the tunnel he was in. His twin cousins, Cahan and Duncan, lay dead in front of him. Seamus hid his head and rocked in the corner, no matter how many times he washed his hands, he couldn't get the feeling of blood off of them. The bloody knife lay beside him menacing and innocent compared to what Seamus had done._

Harper hit the wall with his fist. Tears made his throat swelled up and he looked away. Never in his life, had he thought of what he had done that day, save for moments afterwards where he considered joining his cousins.

Kao appeared.

"You have to watch this," she said as the memory began to replay itself.

"I can't," Harper said weakly.

"If you don't watch this then you can't move on," Kao urged.

"Then I guess I'm not going anywhere," Harper said.

Kao looked worried.

"Kao, do you see what I did?" Harper asked exasperated. "I never want to relive that."

"I know," Kao replied, "but some things you don't have a choice in."

Harper turned to look at that scarring day.

_Seamus walked into the tunnel where his cousins were staying, have being moved away from everyone else as they decided what to do with them as the Magog larvae grew in their stomachs._

_Perhaps Duncan had heard Seamus's footsteps or merely new he was coming to see them but whatever the reason, he was standing waiting for Seamus to come to him._

"_Duncan, you shouldn't be standing," Seamus said worrisome._

"_I heard what Mother said," Duncan replied._

"_You can possibly think that it was her idea!" Seamus blurted without thinking that the others didn't want the twins to know about that terrible conversation._

"_No I don't think it was her idea," Duncan replied. "But we think it is a good idea."_

"_No."_

"_I talked with Cahan, he agreed before he fell unconscious," Duncan explained._

"_That not what is going to happen," Seamus said firmly._

"_You would rather keep us in pain and then have an odd dozen Magog running around?"_

_Seamus didn't answer._

"_I didn't think so. This way works for everyone." Duncan replied._

"_What are you going to do?" Seamus asked._

"_I don't have the strength to put us both out of our misery," Duncan said._

_Seamus watched shocked as Duncan handed him a knife._

000


	7. Chapter 7

It's sad, another short chapter, but I wanted to update and when I was typing only so many words come. So this chapter has less then the others, but I hope you like it just the same

Chapter 7

Day six

Beka heard the alarm beep but she couldn't pull herself out of the dream she was having. It was the night she had picked up Harper, she tried hard to get away, knowing how horrible it was too him.

"_Beka!"_

Beka opened her eyes, they were still slightly gummed together and they hurt too move.

"_Beka, can you hear me?"_

Beka threw of the covers and sat up rubbing her face.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"_Can you come down to medical?" _

Beka frowned, that was Trance.

Had something happened to Harper? She got up immediately and still in her pyjamas ran down to medical.

She burst threw the doors to see Trance, Rev and Dylan all looking a little stunned at her appearance. Harper was lying peacefully beside them.

Beka sighed.

"I thought it was important," she said annoyed.

"It is," Rev said.

"Does everyone hangout in their pyjamas or what?" Dylan said quietly to himself.

Beka rolled her eyes.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Well, it's not so much as what happened to Harper recently-" Trance never finished her sentence for Beka cut her off.

"I'm not telling you and that's the finally time you'll ask, right?" Beka said angrily for being pulled out of bed just to be questioned again. Clearly they didn't know she needed her beauty sleep.

"Well, Harper's signs are stable," Trance said meekly a rightfully afraid of Beka in the morning.

"So why don't you call me when he wakes up?" Beka said going to leave.

"Alright-"

"Beka, will you join me on the station, we're going to track down Kalen," Dylan said.

"We?"

"Tyr and I," Dylan replied.

"Hey, why not, maybe I can beat some sense in her," Beka said.

Suddenly Harper's life signs dropped and he began to shack with tears falling out his eyes.

000

_Young Seamus was laughing as he walked home with Brendan. It had been almost a year since his cousins had passed away and his mum and dad decided to move into the city of Boston, to where his cousin Brendan lived. They were way passed curfew but they didn't care, Seamus had made three new shrillers one for each him, Brendan and Isaac. _

_He was smashed, no matter how many times he vowed he wouldn't drink for Kao's sake, he had to keep making that promise with a major hangover. The road was waving in front of him and every pebble was dancing merrily and laughing Seamus stumbled home. He parted with Brendan and Isaac and continued to sing with a beer in one hand and a shriller still in his mouth. _

_He turned the corner and the sight made him drop the shriller and all the alcohol that was clouding his head seamed to clear immediately. _

_The front door was broken down and chopped into bits. Seamus dropped the bottle and ran into the jumble of rumble that was once his home. Seamus immediately looked through the ruins for his parents._

"_Mom!" he cried. "Mom!" _

_He had no answer but the flickering of small fires in the other rooms._

_Then he saw the figure on the ground, cover with a little bit of rumble. Seamus ran to her and moved the fallen table. He moved his mother's head onto his lap. _

"_Mom?" Seamus asked tenderly._

"_Seamus," his mom said reaching out a hand for his. He took it and squeezed. _

"_Yes, mom?" he asked quietly tears running down his face._

"_Find, Kao, save her from those monsters," she said softly._

"_What happened mom?" Seamus asked quickly._

"_You are the smartest boy in the world, you can do whatever you dream of, but please find Kao," she said, seeming desperate._

"_Yes mom, I will."_

_His mother took her spare arm to stroke his cheek ad wash away the tears that continually fell out of his eyes._

_She let her arm fall and died in his arms. Seamus didn't bother to be proud but let all his tears flow, the ones, for his cousins, the ones for Kao, for his father and the ones that were only for her._

"_MOM!"_

000

Beka ran over to Harper's side when he cried out in his sleep. He thrashed on the bed and Beka tried to comfort him.

Suddenly his eyes opened horrified and seeing Beka over him the tears began to flow again.

Beka bent down and held him, like a small child being comforted by his mother. Harper's hugged her tightly and sobbed into her shoulder, holding on to her as though she too was going to leave him.

Beka just held him; he shook from his sobs and no one else to exist.

How long Harper held on too her, she wasn't sure but gradually his crying stopped and he just held close.

It wasn't long afterwards when Harper's arms relaxed and Beka could tell that he had fallen asleep again.

Beka lowered him onto his bed again and suddenly looking at the bloodstain that had leaked out of his bandages, and had spilled onto her pyjamas shirt her eyes welled up. Kalen had done that to him, she was certain. Wiping her eyes quickly she turned angrily and ran out of medical.

She wasn't wearing any shoes and she didn't bother to change, she just ran all the way to the air hearing that Dylan was behind her. But she didn't turn, her eyes filled with tears again.

She reached the air lock just as Tyr and Rommie was showing Kalen in as a guest.

Her eyes flashed still filled with tears.

"YOU!" she screamed.

Kalen looked shocked.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?" Beka yelled her voice cracking.

"I don't know what your talking about Captain Valentine, and," Kalen looked her up and down scrutinizing her appearance, "I would have thought you would have picked something better to dress in than bloody pyja-"

Kalen never finished her sentence before Beka; with all the strength she could muster hit her across the mouth.

Dylan jumped forward to stop Beka but she had taken another swing and the second time she heard the satisfying crack of the break.

Dylan grabbed Beka as Rommie tended to Kalen. Dylan had to literally lift Beka and move her away for she struggled with blinding rage to get at Kalen again.

"Beka, what's the matter with you?" Dylan hissed.

Beka looked from glaring at Kalen to him.

"How can you say that, you know what she did, she shot him," Beka said tears over whelming her again.

"We don't know that she did, she's here to question not beat," Dylan said.

Beka turned her head and tried to inconspicuously wipe her eyes, but Dylan caught.

"Go, rest, I'll call you when we find out something."

Beka looked back at him.

"I want to question her," she said boldly.

"No," Dylan ordered.

"But-"

"No buts, you are not going anywhere near her," Dylan interrupted. "Understood?"

"Beka dropped her shoulders and her head and nodded gently.

"Go, get some rest, then maybe go and sit by Harper."

Beka left without saying anything her instincts telling her the culprit was already on board.


	8. Chapter 8

4

Chapter 8

Kalen sat comfortably in the chair of the briefing room. Her eyes flicked outside, despite what Dylan had said, Beka had followed them all the way here and although Kalen couldn't hear what they were talking about Beka seemed pretty mad.

It seemed that Dylan gave up for when he entered the room Beka followed. She sat down in a chair and glared constantly, either at Dylan or Kalen.

Kalen remained calm and looked into Dylan face.

"Is there a reason why the Nietzschean is watching my every move?" Kalen asked. "I am a guest here am I not?"

"He does that to all our guests," Dylan replied with a forced smile.

Beka merely smirked and spun her chair.

"I see, it seems to me that I was under arrest," Kalen said looking knowingly at Dylan then glanced at Beka who narrowed her eyes.

"No, I just wanted to ask you a few questions," Dylan said.

Beka glanced his way.

"We are going to ask you some questions," she corrected him.

"Alright I'll agree to that," Kalen said.

"Where were you when Harper was shot?" Dylan asked.

"I was in my room," Kalen replied.

"Can anyone prove that?" Dylan asked.

"Are you suggesting something?"

"Just answer the question."

"No, I was by myself," Kalen said.

"Here's a better question, why did you shoot him?" Beka yelled.

"I didn't shoot him," Kalen said too calmly.

"LIAR!" Beka screamed.

"Beka, please," Dylan tried.

"You think that I would waist ammunition on that thing?" Kalen started yelling as she stood up.

Beka jumped out of her seat.

"YOU TAKE THAT BACK!" she yelled tears forming in her eyes.

"NEVER!" Kalen yelled.

Beka tried to hit her but she moved out of the way.

"HE IS WORTHLESS, I SHOULD HAVE SHOT HIM WHEN HE FIRST STEPPED ON BOARD!" Kalen said with the evilest grin.

Beka slapped her across the face as tears ran down her own.

"Tyr, get in here!" Dylan called as he grabbed Beka and dragged her out of the room as Tyr pushed past to arrest Kalen.

"Beka what's the matter with you!" Dylan asked.

Beka wiped her tears away.

"She admitted that she killed Harper," Beka said.

"He's not dead," Dylan said.

"HE'S DYING!" Beka's voice cracked as she began to remember that ten minutes she sat with Harper before she came here.

_Beka sat alone watching Harper in his nightmare. He shook and cried and all she could do was hold onto the hand that wasn't holding the book. The beep from his heart monitor was slowing and his hands were becoming cold. The book he treasured so much was in his right hand, his grip was slowly loosening. She saw it just before it happened, the book that he had clung so desperately too slipped away. Beka let go of his hand to try and catch the falling book but was too late. The dusty pages bent as the weight of the spine crushed down on them. Beka sat on the ground knowing only too well that Harper would never release that book, unless…_

Beka wiped the new tears away and turned her head.

"Beka tell me what's happened," Dylan said placing a hand on her shoulder.

She pushed it away and ran down the hall way.

She ran not knowing where she was going tears obscuring her sight.

She turned a corner and ran into Rev.

"Beka dear what is the matter?" He asked her.

She didn't answer but with a look from the Wayist's face she broke down. Kneeling on the ground she sobbed into her hands. Rev bent down and comforted her.

"It's alright dear one," he spoke softly.

Beka buried her tear stained face in his fur.

000

Kalen paced around in the brig while the crew of the Andromeda ran around looking after their engineer. She smiled to herself; of course they still haven't found the virus. She had a defense for shooting Harper, he wasn't supposed to be in there and it could be shrugged of as a misunderstanding. Although her outbreak at Beka was going to make things a little more difficult, but the plan would still carry out as normal, and the loss of Kao had made it harder to gather information but she was starting to become a nuisance and deserved what she got. She sat down on the small bench/bed that was in the room. This wasn't the place she really wanted to be at the moment, not when everything was almost ready. If she had only kept her temper. Her anger flared up, if only that meddling fool had had enough sense to stay out of her business perhaps she wouldn't have had to shoot him. But still they were all going to die in the end; his was just much more painful.

A small instrument on her wrist began to beep, the invasion was about to begin.

000

Beka returned to med deck to find that Harper was alone; her eyes avoided the book that was still on the ground. She sat beside him and gripped his hand.

"Harper you have got to make it out of this," she said her voice cracking.

He didn't respond, but he was no longer shivering, he wasn't showing any signs at all.

"Harper come on," Beka pleaded.

She looked at the monitor that showed brain waves, they were small, very small. She frowned and looked closer. There were two. Two brain waves. One was so minuscule that it was hardly noticeable until Harper's had reached the level of activity as it did.

Beka jumped up and left medical in search of Trance.

000

Trance was in hydroponics when Beka found her.

"Trance, how many brains does one person have?" she asked.

"It depends on what species you're talking about," Trance replied.

"Harper," Beka answered.

"I'm not sure, it's a difficult question," Trance said.

Beka glared at her.

"Well, he has one brain, but if you want to use your imagination his data port could be considered-" Trance began.

"Should he have two separate brain waves?" Beka asked annoyed.

"No, why?"

"Because he has two," Beka said.

Trance followed Beka out back down to med deck.

000

"See," Beka said pointing to the monitor.

Trance looked very close then gasped.

"Andromeda, get Dylan down here," she cried.

Dylan walked in not too long after.

"What is it?" He asked worried glancing at Harper.

"Have you found the virus that Harper said he had removed from the station?" Trance asked.

Beka's eyes lit up with understanding but Dylan was still in the dark.

"No, but what does that have too do with anything?" Dylan said.

"I think I found it," Trance said hoping that Dylan made the connection.

He didn't.

"It's in him, you idiot," Beka said.

Dylan looked from Harper to the monitor back to Harper again before completely understanding them.

"How did that happen?"

Beka rolled her eyes. "What does that matter? It's probably what's killing him, excluding the shot wound," Beka said she seemed to think that the shooting was too touchy a matter to continue talking about so she starting talking again.

"We need to find a way to get it out of him," Beka said.

"Got any ideas?" Dylan said irritated.

Beka growled annoyed.

"Jeez calm down," Dylan said.

"Why should I!" Beka yelled.

"We'll think of something," Trance said.

"You better," Beka said and she stomped out of the room.

000

Beka wandered the hallways unable to sleep as the night dragged on. Her feet took her to places while her mind raged through her thoughts. Beka didn't notice where she was going until she was there. Harper's quarters where right in front of her. She wondered whether she should go in before she released the door was already sliding open for her. She was a little startled but not truly surprise to find Tyr sitting on his bed. He was holding a small poetry book in his hands looking down.

"What's with the book?" Beka asked.

"Harper gave it too me when I first joined the crew," Tyr replied. He held up the small copy of William Shakespeare's sonnets.

"He thought I would enjoy them," Tyr said.

"Did you read them?" Beka asked.

"Not yet," Tyr said sadly.

Beka sat down beside him. She took the book and turned it to Sonnet number 126.

"This is my favorite," Beka said handing the book back to him.

Tyr smiled slightly as he read the passage.

"I'm needed to watch Kalen," Tyr said.

Beka smiled as he walked out the room leaving her by herself on the bed.

000

Kalen smiled as she saw the Nietzschean walk into view. He wouldn't be a problem to get by. She looked around the small cell and then back to the instrument on her wrist. Almost. Tyr took up his position at the end on the Hallway that showed every direction into the brig. He leaned against the wall and seemed to be reading a small book that Kalen couldn't read the title. A few moments past and she felt a little tingle.

She lifted the instrument to her mouth.

"It's time."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 

Day Seven

The Andromeda lurched with an explosion that was detonated on her port side. Dylan looked up from his station.

"What was that?" He asked slowly.

Suddenly another explosion went of, and then more. The Andromeda rocked violently.

"Rommie, what's going on?" Dylan yelled as he grabbed the console.

"We are under attack," Rommie stated bluntly.

"I gathered that!" Dylan yelled.

"Shall I fight back?" Rommie said strangely subdued.

"YES!" Dylan roared as he lost his footing and went flying across command.

Suddenly Tyr stumbled into onto command with a worries look on his face.

"Kalen is gone," He yelled over the racket, "some sort of transport device, I didn't think any existed!"

"That's just great!" Dylan cried as he attempted to stand up. "Rommie why haven't you fired yet?"

There was no answer and abruptly the ship went dark and silent. Everything was dead and the attack had finished.

Dylan looked around confused. Rommie stood deactivated at her console and the Andromeda wouldn't respond to his command.

"It's a trap," Tyr suggested at once.

"Set by whom and why?" Dylan asked.

"Well Kalen of course," Tyr responded looking at Dylan as though he was mad.

"I meant who was Kalen working for?" Dylan replied saucily.

"Does that matter right now?" Tyr asked then he suddenly perked up listening.

"Yes!" Dylan yelled, "why?" he added seeing the behaviour of his weapons officer.

"I think we are being boarded," Tyr said.

"You can hear that?" Dylan asked astonished.

"Well they're being really noisy," Tyr said, "and they're right outside command,"

000

Beka looked up as the first bomb hit. She was reading Harper's book that had fallen in the med deck beside him. Trance was busy with some sort of machinery trying to find a way to get ride of the virus that was terrorizing Harper's body.

Another lurch came and Beka grabbed for Harper's hand as the ship moved violently.

With one more pitch the lights and monitors went black. Beka immediately closed the book and looked to the monitors that we keeping Harper alive. None of them were working. Trance ran over straight away and placed her fingers on his neck to find a pulse.

000

Kao stood waiting for him as the memory disappeared and Harper was left in the room again. Three of the lighted windows had gone out.

There was only two left too look at and he didn't want, he wanted to end now, and he would end it if he had too.

"Why are you showing these to me?" he asked again.

Kao walked up to him.

"Because you need to see that these things were bound to happen and that there was nothing you could done to stop it," she answered.

Harper looked up shocked, she had not given such a straight answer before.

"Come, these were not your fault," Kao answered putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Not me fault!" Harper yelled hitting her hand away. "Not my fault? I killed Cahan and Duncan, it was because of me that my parents were killed, I – I lost Kao," Harper said tears welling up.

"Come, just one last memory," Kao said softly, "only one more."

She walked to the far window.

Harper followed her, and glancing in he immediately began to cry.

"I cannot watch this," Harper choked, "I don't ever want to relive this."

"You have too," Kao said.

"Why?"

"Because you need to get over it," Kao said.

She pushed him slightly and he went forward to the door. He grasped the handle and turned. But he did not push it open. Half of him wanted to run away and half of him wanted to see this again, make sure his nightmare was just a distorted part of this memory.

He took a deep breath and walked in.

_Seamus and Beka burst through the cell door of the Nietzscheans headquarters. Both fired at the Nietzscheans that were following them._

_Seamus dropped his gun as he found her at last._

_Slowly he walked to the figure chained to the wall._

_She was slumped, bruised, broken and near death. He lifted her face and a small light lit in her eyes and she smiled._

"_Seamus I knew you'd find me," Kao said weakly._

_He shot of the chains and crouched to hold her up as she collapsed. _

"_I've come to take you home," he said overcome with emotion._

_She smiled and touched his face._

"_I have home now Seamus," she said, the light was leaving her eyes though the smile remained._

"_But I promised I would save you!" he choked and tears began to run down his face._

_She pulled him closer to her, "You have saved me, brother."_

_Seamus hugged her so close as she fell limp and he cried._

_Beka stood behind him watching her new ward weep over the body of the girl he had called his sister. She felt tears form in her own eyes and she quickly wiped them away._

_She allowed Harper a few more moment with his sister before she forced him too leave._

_He went reluctantly but without force. He didn't even bother to fight back as they left. His long goal was to find and bring his younger sister home but he had failed so what was the point of going on._

Harper turned and left, he knew now that there was no reason for him to stay. He understood was Kao was trying to tell him. His sister was not blaming him for her death. But he was still blaming himself.

He came out to Kao and looked at her intently. No more tears came, he just stared. The window behind him disappeared and he stared at Kao.

She smiled weakly.

"Do you understand me now?" she asked.

"I cannot stop blaming myself," Harper said.

"You have too, if you don't I will die," Kao said shocked.

"What do I care if you die? You're only a virus," Harper said coldly.

"No, that's not it at all," Kao pleaded.

"Isn't it?"

"No, I need you, you needed me," Kao said.

"I DON"T NEED YOU!" Harper yelled.

Kao looked shocked and he began to walk towards her.

Suddenly he stopped.

Kao looked at him confused.

But he wasn't paying any more attention to her. His hand went to his heart. He gasped for breath.

"What's happening?" he gulped.

Kao shook her head confused.

"I don't know," she answered.

He gasped and fell to his knees.

"It hurts," he said meekly.

Kao abruptly disappeared. Harper looked around. She was gone but the window was still there. He frowned and looked through that window. It was a memory. The pain was gone, and he walked towards it. All his friends were gathered around a med bed that Harper lay on.

They were all there. Beka clinging to Rev, Trance trying to revive him, Tyr standing guiltily in the corner, and Dylan was standing at the end of the bed, looking as though he just came out of a battle. Rommie stood beside him looking confused.

Unexpectedly a bright, white light flared behind him. He held up his arm and looked into the whiteness trying to see who was there. Because he felt it, he could feel that familiar presence watching over him.

A silhouette appeared in the light. The figure of a young woman with a large abnormality growing out of her back.

Harper gawked as the face appeared.

She was dressed all in white, a snappy suit outfit, and she had beautiful red hair cascading down her shoulders. Large feathery wings sprung from her back.

She walked to Harper and he found that she was the same height as him.

This angel smiled at Harper, as he stood dumbstruck.

"Hello big brother," Kaolin said. "Long time no see."

0000

5


	10. Chapter 10

Hey everyone, I'm incredibly, incredibly sorry that it took FOREVER for this next chapter. But life it seems got away from me and unfortunately I forgot to grab this story when the Train of Life came. Anyways, luckily the Train has tendencies to go back to former stations and I have at least managed to write the next chapter. I apologise again if something is out of place, I will find it and change it… eventually. Lots of Love.

--CateRBlack.

Chapter 10

The Andromeda lurched under fire from the enemy ships. Dylan jumped up from trying to repair Rommie.

"What is going on here?!" he asked exasperated. Tyr, the only other person on command completely ignored Dylan and went about his own business, sealing off the intruders within the ship and readying himself to go take care of them.

"Who's trying to kill us?" Dylan asked again directing the question at Tyr.

"Anyone who's met you no doubt," Tyr muttered.

Dylan glared at him.

"Besides, I don't think that they are even after us," Tyr said,

Dylan asked running to Tyr's station, "What? Why? After all they're on my ship."

"Not anymore," Tyr said pressing a button on his station control. "They seem to be attacking the station."

"Now, why would they do that?"

"Maybe they want something," Tyr said sarcastically.

"But what?"

Tyr rolled his eyes at his Captain's random bouts of stupidness.

"What was it that Harper found? Before he was shot?" Tyr asked.

"Wish we could ask him," Dylan said, "are internal communications working?"

"That wouldn't help as Harper's internal communications are not."

"Trance, can you hear me?" Dylan asked disregarding his Nietzschean weapons officer.

"_Yes Captain, but we have a problem down here!" _Trance's voice came wailing through the comm. Link.

"What's the matter?" Dylan asked noticing that now the ship was quiet, there was fighting beyond, around the station. Suddenly Rommie sprung back to life.

"_It's Harper," _Trance said, _"We're losing him."_

000

Harper walked in a full circle looking at Apparition in front of him. The girl just smiled at him waiting for him to make the first move.

"Who are you?" Harper managed to ask.

"You don't know?" Kaolin asked quietly, as though she already knew that he knew who she was.

"Well," Harper stuttered, "you're dead."

She laughed, "of course!"

Harper stared.

"How…?" Harper asked.

Kaolin's face fell and her gaze went to the window behind him.

"What's the matter?" Harper asked, "why are you here."

"Because you're here," Kaolin replied.

"Stop speaking in cryptic riddles, are you actually my sister or are you another one of this virus's (at this he jerked his thumb to where the virus had been standing) images?" Harper demanded, "Am I going insane?"

"No," Kaolin answered. "You are not going insane, and I'm actually your sister."

"But how does that work, your dead, you said so yourself," Harper said.

"Think of it Seamus," Kaolin said, "You're smart, if I'm dead for sure, and you are here with me…" she trailed off hoping that he would catch on.

He looked at her like she was crazy then something clicked.

"I'm dead?!"

000

"Trance how is that possible?" Dylan asked as he shot into medical barely three minutes after the call. Tyr and Rommie was right behind him, the distance sound of explosions outside the ship, for once were not penetrating Dylan's brain, and his only thoughts were for his engineer.

"I don't quite understand it," Trance said, "it's like he's lost the will too live."

"Have you removed the virus?" Dylan asked.

"Not yet," Trance replied sadly.

"Isn't that what is killing him?" Dylan asked.

"This is different, it has also grown dormant; something else has shut it down. Harper should have been able to hold out for a long time, its not a bad virus," Trance explained, "I've managed to analyse it, its just a regular communication bug, at least it started out that way, I think it grew a consciousness."

"A consciousness?" Rommie asked, "That isn't possible, is it?"

"What does it matter right now?!" Beka said exasperated.

Harper twitched and turned in his fever with each moment growing weaker.

000

"Not yet."

"Not yet?" Harper asked.

"No," Kaolin replied, "look behind you."

Harper turned to see the same window of people standing before, frozen in time.

"I don't get it," Harper said.

"That's where you are, right now," Kaolin said. "You are on Med Deck, dying of a heart attack caused by something they don't understand."

Harper watched, the picture wasn't as frozen as he thought it was, there were sparks, moving in slow motion, coming from all over and the emergency lights were on.

"There being attacked!" Harper said running to the window.

"Yes that's right, the Venques, they've been terrorizing this part of the system for fifty years, they are trying to expand there territory," Kaolin explained.

"Why are they attacking the Andromeda?!" Harper asked.

"You stole their bug."

Harper looked at her, "their bug."

She nodded.

"They put the bug into the gravitation system," Harper said putting two and two together.

"Actually, I believe they placed in the main frame, but the virus, as you've already met, is no ordinary virus, she wanted to get away and if I'm up to date correctly, she hid in the gravitation system until her chance to get away came."

"And that was me," Harper said, he looked at his finger, though there was no sign of a cut, he could still remember the feeling. "It went into my bloodstream and them found its way to my brain, that's why I've been seeing, well, you all over the place, is that right?"

Kaolin nodded, "yes that's true. But unfortunately for her she came across you on the time that you've let yourself go."

She sounded annoyed and disappointed at this.

"It's called grieving," Harper put in saucily.

"Not when you're talking to the person your supposed to be grieving about," Kaolin said.

He glanced at her.

"What I said that I don't believe that you're my sister," he challenged.

"It doesn't make a difference," Kaolin said, "whether you believe it not, its still true."

"Oh really?"

"Yes really," Kaolin said getting edgy now.

"And what are you here for?" Harper asked.

"To make sure that you get over it."

Harper paused.

"Get over what?"

"You have to accept that it was not your fault that I died," Kaolin said.

Harper was quiet for a long time, nothing piercing the silence between them.

"What if I don't?" Harper asked finally.

"Then your life will end here," Kaolin answered.

"Really?" Harper asked shocked. "I'm going to die if I don't accept?"

"No, not like that, you life will be consumed by this grief and you'll be ruined, you must accept that there was nothing you could do."

Tears were being to well up in Harper's eyes, "But it was my fault, if I hadn't been so drunk…"

"No," Kaolin said her voice softening, walking to him and taking his shoulders, "you would have not been able to stop them had you been sober."

"But-"

"They were too powerful, only those who had passed out were left alive, and the couple slaves," Kaolin explained, "You life depended on you drinking that much and passing out, making them think you were dead."

"But I put you through five years of misery," Harper said.

"No you didn't the Nietzscheans did that and you managed to free me," Kaolin said.

"But not in time," Harper said miserably.

"No, just in time," Kaolin smiled, her eyes shining along with his, "I am whole now, more than I ever was, you did that Seamus."

Harper looked at threw tears stained eyes and a very long moment passed before he smiled and nodded.

Kaolin smiled and glanced over her shoulder.

"I have to go," She said, "But I'll see you again, someday, when your time has come."

"It isn't now?" he asked.

Kaolin faltered.

"If you walk through that door behind you, you will return to your life, if you really want it, but there are some things you have to do immediately if you do go through," Kaolin said.

000

Beka stood quickly as Rev rushed onto to Med. Deck and held out his hands to Beka to comfort her.

"How is it going?" Rev asked.

"Not so great."

"Not out there either," Rev said and turned to Dylan, "It's the Venques, there are attacking the station."

"Who's winning?" Dylan asked.

"They are," Rev said, "Kalen has killed the proper commander of the station, but there are few ships to attack, they seem to think that no matter what they will win. Kalen must have transported to them."

"She would tell them to destroy us though," Dylan said frowning, "Wouldn't she?"

"Maybe she doesn't want us destroyed," Trance said quietly.

They all looked at her.

"Why wouldn't they, we are a threat to them," Dylan said.

"True, but they also want their bug back don't they?" Trance said and glanced at Harper.

000

"You have to want to go back," a voice said through the dark room. Only the one wall was visible with the window and door that lead in, while a bright light was growing steadily behind him.

Harper stared at the door.

He was losing his will, it would be so much easier just to give up and turn around and leave the whole universe behind. To be with Mother and Father, and Kao, and all those others he'd lost.

000

"How can we fight them?" Dylan asked.

"Fight?!" Beka asked exasperated glancing back at Harper who was still lying fitfully on the table.

"Yes fight-" Dylan began but was cut off by the incessant beeping that came from the machines monitoring Harper's life signs. Trance ran quickly to them.

"What the matter?" Rev asked.

But Trance was to into what she was doing to answer.

Suddenly the beeping heart monitor let out one monotonous flat tone. Beka held her breath as did the rest of the crew, except Trance who moved like wildfire to try and restart his heart.

Seconds dragged by feeling like hours and Trance tried desperately to revive him.

The flat line tone dragged on.

Beka buried her face in Rev's shoulder.

Rommie looked slightly confused.

Tyr looked guilty.

Almost a minute past and Dylan took the hard difficult step to grab Trances arm and contain. She fought wildly, a purple flash in the air until she consented to sob into Dylan's shoulder.

The silence lasted and was so quiet that Dylan could almost hear the battle waging outside.

Dylan closed his eyes to the figure on the med bed, readying himself for the grief that he could feel swelling up in him.

000

He looked at that screen again, the window to his life.

And something flared in him, all of his friends had come here to try and keep him alive, even in the midst of a battle.

He couldn't give up.

Not yet.

He took it at a run and rammed his shoulder into the push door.

It didn't budge.

"You have to want it."

000

Sudden fear overwhelmed Dylan, and he jolted with energy as the machines went crazy, and Harper's hand grabbed at him arm.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

"Quick!" Harper's voice was horse and unrecognizable as the entire crew of the Andromeda stared at him.

"Harper!" Beka managed to say.

He was still holding onto Dylan's arm, "the data cord, quickly!!" he said urgently, feeling the strength that he had gained leaving him.

Dylan still seemed to stare at him dumbstruck.

"NOW!"

Tyr broke free first and got the cord and passed it too Harper.

He plugged it into his data port with a painful expression and held the other end, as he began to fall unconscious again.

Tyr grabbed and plugged it into the Andromeda.

Nothing happened.

They looked at each other confused.

"What was that about?" asked Tyr finally.

They exchanged looks and Trance broke free to check Harper. He was unconscious and life signs weak, but he was defiantly alive.

There was a sudden flicker on the screen and then static where Andromeda AI usually appeared.

"This is starting to get a little creepy," Beka said dislodging herself from Rev and walking to the screen.

She stood there for a moment when suddenly-

"Hey Boss!"

Beka jumped a foot in the air as Harper's face appeared on the screen.

"Harper!" she exclaimed.

"What are you doing in there?" Dylan asked.

"Well, my body couldn't handle the two consciousnesses in there in a weakened state, so I came here, with Kao," Harper explained.

"Harper you get out this instance so I can kill you myself!" Beka said hysterically wiping tears off her face.

"I can't," he said.

"Why not?" Trance asked coming to him as well.

"Well my body couldn't handle it," he replied sadly.

"I think now would be a good time for you to tell me what has been going on," Dylan said menacingly, the fear of loss had left.

"I think now you should blow the crap out of these Venques, they aren't going to get this virus back," Harper said.

Dylan glared at him but nodded for Tyr to go and take care of them.

"They are no match to the Andromeda," Harper said.

"What makes you think that?" Dylan asked.

"This is why."

There was a sudden jerk to the ship as it changed direction quickly.

"I would prefer that you didn't do that Harper," Rommie stated coldly.

"It won't take long, just gotta blow the crap outta Kalen for shooting me," Harper replied.

"Why did you go there Harper?" Beka asked.

"I wanted to find out about Kao," he said.

"But she's…" Beka trailed off.

Harper paused looking at her, "a different one, I'll explain later."

Dylan looked from the two incredulously, wondering if he would ever figure out what had happened.

000

There was a constant banging that could be heard whenever someone came to close to Harper's work room for the next couple of days.

Dylan had managed to get very little of the truth when Harper was finally back in his body. What he had pieced together was simply that Kao, the virus-conscious, was now out of Harper and in the mainframe of Andromeda waiting for a new home.

On the subject of Harper's unusually and downright despicable behaviour over the week he had learned very little. Aside from the fact that he had done this every year for seven years and it had something to do with his dead sister. But before Harper disappeared Harper himself had informed him, that it would not happen again.

It had been three days; he had just barricaded himself in his work room and barely spoke. Dylan was starting to get worried again.

The Venques had been easily defeated, Harper saw to that when he was in the Andromeda's mainframe. But by request from Harper, they had recaptured Kalen and kept her alive. Beka did have a wonderful punch against the woman when she was brought on board again but otherwise she had been left alone.

Dylan sighed, it was time to go to Harper.

"Harper?" Dylan called through the comm. Link.

"_Don't worry I'm finished,"_ Harper replied.

Dylan surprised to hear that Harper was actually doing something in the engine left the bridge at once to find out what had conspired.

He walked to the door to find that Beka and Rev were also there.

"Did he call you?" Rev asked.

"No I came by myself," Dylan replied, "why?"

Harper slid out of the workroom.

"Okay, we can go see Kalen now," Harper said.

"Would you mind explaining?" Beka said standing with her arms crossed.

"Of course," he smiled weakly, he opened the door.

A girl stood there.

She was barely thirteen, skinny, with long red hair. Her clothes were neat and her eyes green.

She smiled at them.

"Dylan, Rev," Harper said, "this is Kao, the likeness to my sister, however our friendly virus-conscious new body."

Dylan smiled, "I suppose that you want her too met Kalen."

Harper looked back at Kao.

"I would delight at meeting her," Kao said with a wicked smile.

000

Tyr sat reading as Kalen paced back and forth.

"How long are you going to keep me here?" snapped Kalen.

"As long as needed," Tyr answered not looking up.

Kalen growled and continued pacing.

The door suddenly opened and Tyr and Kalen looked up at the person who entered.

Kao walked in looked directly and only at Kalen.

Tyr raised an eyebrow at Dylan who followed with Harper, Beka and Rev. Dylan signal to wait.

"Who are you?" snarled Kalen.

"I would have thought you would have known," Kao replied coolly.

"Like I would know a scrawny teen," Kalen replied.

"I wasn't always this way," Kao said, "in fact I was a real person once."

The others glanced at each other behind her.

"A real person?" Kalen scoffed.

"Yes," Kao said, "you know, the prisoners you keep, those whose mind seem strong enough to survive the process of separation."

Kalen falter in her step.

"Minds that are severed never know anything else," she said.

"Of course not, kill the body, rip out the mind and its so shocked that it doesn't remember or know anything past the duty the Venques put it too," Kao said darkly, "so many people have gone through that painful experience and their life and afterlife are ruined."

Kalen twitched.

"Unfortunately you used my mind for too long. I remember," Kao said with hatred filling her voice.

Kalen smirked, "what are you going to do to me?"

It happened so suddenly that no one could stop her.

Kao released the force field, grabbed Kalen by the upper arm and used her new mechanical fingers to dig into Kalen head.

Dylan jumped forward but blood was already gushing from Kalen's temples and she began to scream an unearthly scream.

There was a pause and Kao ripped her hand free of Kalen's head and there was something that looked misty and floated that clutched to Kao's bloody fingers.

But the moment passed Kao let go.

There was silence in the room, as Kalen lay dead at the girl's feet.

Kao turned, "I'm sorry captain, I will leave your ship immediately and not put you in anymore trouble."

Dylan made to stop her.

"What did you do to her?" he asked.

Kao sighed, "The same thing she did to me."

000

The Andromeda moved away from the station not to long afterwards. Dylan rubbed his temples feeling the stress of the last week and a half settle in.

Kao stayed on the station; there to help the people regain what they had lost. Dylan was glad to leave. He had never been upon a station with so much chaos and couldn't wait until the Common Wealth was going strong again to get that under control.

"Finally peace and quiet," he muttered to himself as he walked to his quarters.

000

Harper stared dully around his quarters. He had slept fine during the night despite what he had seen Kao do. He was happy to report to himself that his appetite had returned in full and although he was still feeling more tired than usual he was on the mend.

There was a buzz at his door and he opened to find Beka standing there.

"Hey," she said quietly, "can I come in?"

"Sure," he replied and turned to sit back down on his bed.

"Harper, I'm glad that you have got over this," she said.

Harper grunted.

"I know that you miss her, but you have a lot of life ahead, she wouldn't want you to waste it," Beka said, "you'll see her again."

"I already have," he mumbled.

Beka frowned, "I'm sorry?"

"Nothing," Harper replied quickly, he faked a yawn, "I really should sleep before Trance confines me to Med Deck again."

Beka smiled and got up.

"Here," she said holding out a small rectangular object, "this is yours."

He took it and she walked out of the room.

Few tear slid out of his eyes as Harper flicked through _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_.

Something fell out onto his lap.

He smiled.

Four very happy people smiled broadly back out of the picture at him.

End.


End file.
